School Days
by Mitsukai Ashi
Summary: Original. Rated T for language. Lots of OOC. Full summary inside. Ranma is a playboy, Akane is a new transfer student he's targeting. She rejects him, so what now? No flames please.
1. Chapter 1

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER ONE 

The Meeting

* * *

_Man, I didn't think Furinkan would be this big,_ thought Akane Tendo anxiously as she stepped onto the grounds of her new high school. _So much bigger than Sakura Damon was…_

"Oh my God! Akane, is that you?"

_Now there's a familiar voice, _she thought with relief as she turned to face the speaker behind her.

"Hey, Ukyo," she said with a small smile.

"It _is _you!!!" the brunette squealed happily, throwing her arms around her best friend. Akane smiled over her friend's shoulder at her other best friend, a Chinese Amazonian girl named Shampoo, who stood waiting impatiently to hug Akane.

"What are you doing here?" asked Ukyo, releasing her and allowing Shampoo her turn. "You're wearing our uniform. Are you transferring here?"

Akane nodded as Shampoo released her. "Sakura Damon was bugging me…too many punks and thugs for my comfort. And my end of year exams last year showed that I was smart enough to transfer wherever I wanted, and since this place is closer to home, nicer _and _more elite, I decided to come here. And besides," she added with a grin, "you guys are here, so that was an added bonus!"

Ukyo smiled happily. "I'm so glad you did! Now we can attend high school together, even if it's the only year left. Trust me, you're going to love Furinkan!"

"Not for a while," noted Akane as more students passed by, murmuring to themselves. "I have to get used to this place first. You guys know how I am."

"People at Furinkan no allow for shyness," promised Shampoo in broken Japanese. "What class you in?"

"1-F," she replied, glancing down at the note her father had left for her on the breakfast table. "Miss Hinako is the homeroom teacher."

"That means you're in our class!" said Ukyo happily. "Great! We'll show you there!"

"Works for me," Akane replied. "I'm definitely gonna need some help finding my way around here."

"Ukyo and I help," said Shampoo.

"Thanks, guys."

"Now c'mon, we don't want to be late," said Ukyo. She grabbed Akane's wrist and led her toward the school, Shampoo at their heals. Akane smiled as she was led into Furinkan High School. She may have been shy, but at least she had her two best friends to help her. Maybe she could overcome her problems here.

_This year,_ she swore to herself, _I __**will **__get over my shyness!_

* * *

"Man, I hate school!" groaned Ranma Saotome. He leaned his chair back until it was balanced onto its two back legs and folded his hands behind his head. "You can't get into fights without getting into trouble with that retard of a principal!" 

"You should dye your hair blonde, Ranma," said Ryoga Hibiki, his best friend. He had taken off his yellow and brown checked bandana and was swinging it around boredly. "You sound like a total delinquent."

"What do I care?" he answered. "I'd be much happier attending a martial arts tournament than waste my time here. It's not as if I even care about grades."

"I'd believe it," said Ryoga, "if it weren't for the fact that you're smart as hell. You pass all your tests so easily."

"Depends what you mean by smart," replied Ranma. "I have talent at fights and women, but trust me, I forget everything I learn after I've taken a test for it. Useless information. I'm going to be running my family's dojo, so there's really no point."

"Yeah, and I probably won't be able to hold down a job," added Ryoga. "With my sense of direction, I'd get lost every single day."

"And Mousse will probably go back to China, so why's he even here in the first place?" Ranma threw in. "Speaking of which, where is the blind asshole? Class starts in ten minutes."

"Probably following Shampoo again," said Ryoga. "He'll be here soon."

The classroom door opened just then, and Ranma looked around as three girls entered the class. One was Ukyo, another was Mousse's love interest and fellow Amazonian, Shampoo…but he didn't recognize the third girl that followed them inside. His eyes followed her as the three of them crossed the classroom. Just before they sat down, she suddenly looked up and over at him, and his bright blue gaze collided with her brown one. She flushed and looked away quickly, but he couldn't tear his eyes from her.

"Is that a new transfer student?" he asked. "She's cute."

"She's also apparently friends with Shampoo," came a male voice from behind him, and Ranma looked over as his friend Mousse took his seat beside him. "I think her name is Akane Tendo. She and Ukyo are Shampoo's best friends, but Akane went to a different school the last two years."

"Mousse, if you know that much about her already, you've really got to get a new hobby," said Ryoga, tying his bandana back around his head. "It's really starting to get scary."

"Not to mention pointless," said Ranma. "Mousse, the three of us have our pick of girls drooling at our feet! Why chase after the one girl that rejects you without a second thought?"

"You have obviously never been in love, Ranma," said Mousse indignantly.

"_Love?! _Mousse, if you _'love'_ Shampoo anymore, you're going to get arrested."

"He's got a point, Mousse."

"Oh, just shut up, both of you."

* * *

"Miss Tendo?" 

Akane looked up from where she and her friends were talking to find a young girl standing beside her.

"Um…yes?" she said questioningly.

"My name is Ms. Hinako," she said. "I'm the teacher in this class."

_This kid…is the __**teacher?! **_she thought incredulously. _She looks no older than ten!!!_

"So, if you will come up with me…"

"Oh! Um…of course," she said, standing hastily and following her mini-teacher to the front of the room. The bell rang as they reached the front of the room, and the room was filled with the sound of clattering chairs and scraping desks as the students rushed to their assigned seats. Akane scanned the room quickly to see where her seat would likely be and spotted an empty desk by the window…and next to that boy who had been watching her when she had entered the room.

"Everyone," said Ms. Hinako loudly, and the class quieted down and looked up to the front of the class. Akane's shyness got the better of her, and she looked down at the ground.

"This is Akane Tendo. She's just transferred in from Sakura Damon High School and will be joining our class," Ms. Hinako continued. "Miss Tendo, would you mind telling us a little about yourself?"

"Um…yes," she murmured. "M-my name is Akane Tendo…it's n-nice to meet you all…" _Damn my shyness! _she cursed to herself. "I enjoy anything athletic, especially martial arts…p-please treat me kindly…"

"Thank you, Miss Tendo," said Ms. Hinako. "As you have probably noted, there is an empty desk right over there by Mr. Saotome…Saotome, would you please raise your hand…?"

The pigtailed boy raised his hand boredly, and Akane collected her things and hurried to her desk, her face boiling. She practically collapsed into her seat and buried her face in her arms, damning herself over and over for letting her shyness overcome her again.

_Everyone probably thinks I'm a freak…! _she thought. _Damn, damn, damn!!!_

"Um…Akane, are you okay?"

Akane lifted her head slightly and peered up through her purple bangs to see the girl in front of her twisted around in her seat, looking at her with concern.

"Y-yes, I'm fine…" she said.

"You're pretty shy, huh?" asked the ponytailed girl sitting behind her.

"Was it that obvious?" she asked sarcastically.

"Don't worry about it," said the girl in front of her. "We're all pretty okay with each other. Our class gets along great. I'm Yuka, by the way."

"And I'm Sayuri," said the girl behind her. "Welcome to Furinkan High!"

"Oh, um…thanks," replied Akane shyly.

Beside her, Ranma watched her out of the corner of his eye. _Cute and into martial arts…she won't be hard to win over,_ he thought excitedly. _Maybe this year won't suck so bad after all!_

"Don't, Ranma."

Ranma looked in front of him in annoyance. "Don't what, Daisuke?" he asked.

"We've seen that look before, Ranma," said Hiroshi from behind him. "She's new. Back off."

"As if I'm going to listen to you," snorted Ranma.

"Hey, we had to try," shrugged Daisuke, turning back around.

Ukyo, Shampoo, Ryoga, and Mousse all watched Ranma from their seats, the girls worriedly, the boys exasperatedly, all eagerly awaiting their lunch period.

* * *

Four hours later, the bell rang for lunch, and the class was full of the clamor of the students' movements. Shampoo and Ukyo stood and crossed the room to sit with Yuka, Sayuri and Akane, while Ranma, Daisuke, Hiroshi and Ryoga crossed the room to sit in their corner with Mousse for lunch. 

"How Akane doing so far?" asked Shampoo as they settled into their seats.

"Pretty good," replied Akane, though rather distantly.

"Akane? You okay?" asked Ukyo worriedly.

"Yeah…uh, guys? That boy over there…with the pigtail…?"

"Oh, man, so you did notice him," sighed Sayuri.

"Is that bad?"

"Ranma's been watching you since you set foot in the classroom," said Ukyo. "I saw him watching you."

"And we noticed him watching you during class," added Yuka. "That doesn't bode well."

"What do you mean?"

"Ranma is a total playboy," said Ukyo. "He's dated more in the last year than I have throughout my entire life."

"That's not saying much, Ukyo," said Yuka. "We _are _Japanese."

"Okay, he's dated more in the last year than an American teenage boy would," said Ukyo. "That better?"

"How much dating?"

"12 girlfriends in last year," said Shampoo.

"Including the four of us," added Sayuri.

"All four of you dated him?!" asked Akane.

"And were dumped by him," said Ukyo. "Ranma falls in 'love' quickly, then grows bored with the girl and dumps her within a month."

"And he's not dead yet?"

"Hey, not for lack of trying," said Ukyo. "I tried."

"Shampoo too," said Shampoo. "But Ranma is master of martial art. Shampoo was defeated."

"Aren't you supposed to marry a man who defeats you?" asked Akane. "Amazonian law?"

"Great-grandmother no know about it," said Shampoo. "She will not find out. Shampoo refuse to marry Ranma Saotome!"

"Trust me, Akane, if he's watching you, that means he's planning on asking you out, and I beg you, don't fall for it," said Ukyo. "Ranma's a great guy, for the most part, but he's only going to end up breaking your heart."

"Don't worry, guys," said Akane. "I won't. If he tries to ask me out, I'll just knock him out."

"She will, too," Ukyo told Yuka and Sayuri. "She's like that."

They all laughed and launched into another discussion, but across the room, the boys had just entered it.

"Ranma, I can't believe you're already looking for a new girlfriend," said Daisuke. "How the hell do you have time for all of it?"

"Hey, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do," said Ranma. "And guys gotta date."

"Dating is one thing, man," said Daisuke. "But you're just a playboy. You've broken so many hearts, there aren't even really any more girls left for us. I mean, they're all too upset to date anyone anymore. What the hell do you say to them, anyway?"

He shrugged. "I'm bored and don't want to date them anymore?"

"That's cold, dude," said Hiroshi. "You should take your time, you know, find a girl that really means something to you. The relationships are a lot more worthwhile that way."

"That's why I'm dating all these girls," he said. "I'm trying to find that girl. I know she's out there, I just have to find her."

"What's the rush?" asked Daisuke. "You got time."

Ryoga looked up. "Ranma hasn't told you about his family tradition, has he?" he asked.

"Ryoga, shut up," said Ranma defensively.

"Family tradition?" asked Hiroshi.

"Ranma has to get married right after we graduate high school," said Mousse. "To carry on his family's dojo."

"Damn it, Mousse!" snarled Ranma. "They didn't need to know that!"

"Why not, Ranma?" asked Hiroshi. "We're your friends."

"That really does explain things," said Daisuke. "You've only got this year left…"

"Yeah, and I have that much time to find a fiancée," he said gruffly. "So I have to work fast."

"Still, you should take your time," said Mousse. "If you're going to get married at the end of the year, you need to find the one girl you want to be with for the rest of your life."

"I know that," said Ranma. "I'm the one getting married, remember? I've already thought this through. But I haven't told anyone else, so you guys have to shut up about this!"

"Don't worry, Ranma, we won't," promised Daisuke. Hiroshi nodded in agreement. Ranma sighed. He could just feel the pressure building on him again. He was going to have to ask out this Akane Tendo fast, and see if she was or wasn't his potential mate. Because if she wasn't…well, he'd have wasted precious time on her.

"Anyway, good luck, Ranma!" said Ryoga.

"Oh, shut the hell up."

* * *

Author's Note: 

Hello, and thank you for reading the start of "School Days"! I hope that you stay with me throughout this fan fiction.

Okay, just some notes to help you out…

1. The day I began typing this, I had begun rereading the _Midori Days_ manga, and so made it so that Akane transferred over from the high school Seiji Sawamura goes to. There's no significance and none of the characters from there will be showing up, but I just wanted you all to know that before someone pointed it out to me. I give the credits of it to its author, too.

2. Japanese trivia:

a. " "You should dye your hair blonde, Ranma," said Ryoga Hibiki, his best friend. He had taken off his yellow and brown checked bandana and was swinging it around boredly. "You sound like a total delinquent." "

Japanese delinquent students tend to dye their hair brighter colors…blonde, pink, blue, etc.

b. " "Ranma is a total playboy," said Ukyo. "He's dated more in the last year than I have throughout my entire life."

"That's not saying much, Ukyo," said Yuka. "We _are _Japanese."

"Okay, he's dated more in the last year than an American teenage boy would," said Ukyo. "That better?" "

Japanese are not publicly affectionate; mangas tend to lead us from that fact, but I don't like to deter from true culture much. Then again, this is Ranma, but still…also, Americans are so much more public about affection that it's famous in Japan.

Many of you may have already known these, but I thought I'd throw it in for those who may not. And this'll help you all…the seating chart I created for their class.

X--UNIMPORTANT CHARACTER

ROWS ARE BOY-GIRL-BOY-GIRL

W Teacher's Desk

I Yuka Daisuke Ukyo x x x

N Akane Ranma x Ryoga x x

D Sayuri Hiroshi x x Shampoo x

O x x Akari x x Mousse

W x Gosinkugi x x x x

I hope this helps you! Thanks for reading!

Mitsukai Ashi

P.S. If you're going to leave reviews, please let them be NICE reviews. I really hate it when people leave rude comments that may deter future readers from this story, and I'm working really hard on it. Yes, that means you, P. H. Wise!!!


	2. Chapter 2

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

The First Attempt

* * *

A couple weeks later, Akane felt perfectly comfortable with Furinkan, as her friends had promised. Her classes were more challenging, which pleased her; she was much less bored now. Despite her shyness, she was also quickly making friends, not only with Yuka and Sayuri, but with much of the female half of her class. She was also beginning to act much more like herself; spunky, athletic, and spirited. And of course, Ukyo and Shampoo stood by her to help her out with her new life. Really, only one thing about school bothered her anymore; Ranma Saotome. 

Even without her friends' warning, Ranma would have scared her. He watched her all the time, every move she made, every step she took. The way he watched her with such intensity…she was terrified of him. And when she was scared, she got pissed.

"I mean, what the hell is his problem?!" Akane asked Ukyo one morning as she gathered her things from her locker. "I really don't see why he has to watch me like that. You said maybe he wants to ask me out. Well, if he _does_, why doesn't he just _do_ it?! Does he_ have_ to stalk me?"

"He's trying to figure you out before he asks you out," she replied. "Like, a surefire way to ask you out and get a yes."

"Huh?"

"For instance," Ukyo explained, "as you know, I love to cook okonomiyaki. He followed me a little and found out that I run my okonomiyaki restaurant. So one day, he asked me if I would cook some for him. I agreed, and he came over after school. As I cooked him some food, he complimented my form and such. I tried to brush him off cause I knew what he was up to, but…" she blushed and giggled a little, "…he is just so damn _cute_!"

Akane stared at Ukyo. This girl made it a _point_ to be a tomboy; if she could have her way, she'd probably wear the boys' uniform to school, so this was really weird. Ukyo turned bright red and muttered, "Akane, you did not just see that, and never mention this again."

Akane laughed, and Ukyo cleared her throat in embarrassment and continued, "So anyway, I finished the okonomiyaki and gave it to him. He exclaimed how much he loved it, and when he was finished he said something like, 'I loved it, Ukyo…but not as much as I love you'…or something to that effect. Then he asked me out, and I said yes."

Akane just gave her friend an incredulous look. "And you _bought _that?" she asked.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?"

"Knock him on his ass?"

Ukyo grinned. "I know I should have," she said, "but…you know, it was the first time a boy had asked _me _out, not the other way around. So I said yes."

Akane gazed at Ukyo sympathetically. "Ucchan," she said, using Ukyo's childhood nickname, "don't tell me you still love him?"

Ukyo blinked and looked away, toward a window. She gazed at her own reflection.

"I don't know," she said. "Do I…?"

"Probably," said Sayuri as she, Yuka, and Shampoo walked up to the two. "No girl he's dated ever fully got over him. The proof is that we all bear a grudge toward him."

"I wonder why he dates so much?" wondered Akane.

"Who knows why philanderers do the things they do?" sighed Yuka.

"Ranma coming," said Shampoo suddenly.

The others looked at her. "What?"

"Ranma approaching from around corner," said Shampoo. "Can sense him."

They looked around and saw Ranma and his friends rounding the corner, chatting rather excitedly. Akane watched them warily as they approached their group. Ranma held out his hand as he spotted Akane, and they all stopped and quieted.

"What do you want, Ranma?" asked Ukyo.

"A word with Akane," he said, his gaze never leaving Akane's.

"About?" Akane asked coldly.

"A match," he said. "I hear your family runs a dojo."

"Yeah, that's right," she said. "What of it?"

"So does mine," he said. "And I thought maybe we could have a fight. You know, a purely classmate-to-classmate spar. What do you say?"

She smirked. "When and where?" she asked.

"Akane, no!" said Shampoo.

"You're a great martial artist, but Ranma is at least as good!" said Sayuri. "Don't risk it!"

"He challenged me to a fight, guys," she said. "As heiress to the Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, I can't back down from a challenge even if I wanted to, especially not if another school challenges me!" She turned back to Ranma. "Of course, before we fight, I should know the name of your school, if we're to make this a proper challenge."

"Of course," said Ranma. "I, Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling, challenge you, Akane Tendo of the Tendo School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, to a fight."

"I accept," said Akane. "I repeat, when and where?"

"Your school, after school today, 4:00," said Ranma. "Be there."

"_You're_ the one challenging _my_ school," she said. "_You'd _better be there."

"I will," he replied, signaling to his friends and walking away. Akane and her friends watched them until they were out of sight before they turned to Akane desperately.

"Akane, how could you accept?!" asked Ukyo.

"It's not like we're staking anything," said Akane. "Chill out."

"But you might get hurt!" said Sayuri.

"I told you, I have to accept even if I don't want to," said Akane. "And I _definitely _want to."

"Ranma is master…!"

"I don't care," said Akane. "I'll hold my own against him. Don't you worry, guys, I'll be fine."

"Why, Akane?" asked Yuka. "What if he hurts you?"

"Are you saying you don't think I can take him on? That I'm weak enough that he can defeat me?" asked Akane.

"No, of course not—"

"Then don't worry," said Akane. "I can handle him. And if you're still worried, just come and watch our fight!"

* * *

"Ranma, are you sure you can do this?" asked Ryoga. 

"You think I'd fight a girl I'm planning on dating if I thought she could beat me?" asked Ranma.

"Yes, you would!" replied Mousse. "You would be driven by your pride to fight, no matter who it was! That's how you met me and Ryoga!"

"Relax, guys," said Ranma. "I've got a plan. There's no way Akane will be able to beat me."

"You're going to _cheat_?!" asked Daisuke.

"I thought martial artists were all about fighting with honor!" said Hiroshi.

"Nothing so low as that," said Ranma. "She's just not strong enough to beat me. I've seen her fight at school, and she's really good, but still not strong enough to beat me."

"Then what's the point of all this?" asked Ryoga.

"You'll see if you come to her dojo at 4:00," replied Ranma happily. "And I promise you, before you eat your dinner tonight, Akane Tendo will be my girlfriend."

* * *

Later, as the bell rang for lunch, Ranma turned to Akane. 

"Hope you don't mind I invited some witnesses to our match this afternoon," he said.

"Oh, no problem," she said. "I did too."

"Cool. I get to kick your butt in front of my friends _and _yours," he smirked.

"I don't think so," she said. "I think all that's gonna happen is _you're _going to be humiliated in front of our friends."

"As if you're going to beat me."

"You just wait, Ranma. Don't underestimate me."

The other students looked on curiously as the two stared daggers at each other, Ranma with a smirk, Akane with a fierce anger and determination.

_I'm not going to lose to you, Ranma Saotome,_ she swore. _You just wait. I will avenge all those girls you've hurt!_

After a moment of tense silence, Ranma turned with a sort of grunting noise toward his friends. Akane smiled proudly and turned back to her friends.

"Man, Akane, you sure got guts," said Sayuri. "Standing up to Ranma like this."

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who's done it, Sayuri," shrugged Akane. "It's really no big deal."

"Most people who do are male and get beaten," said Yuka. "This is the first time a girl's challenged him so forwardly…and public about it."

"Public?" asked Akane. "It was just us and Ranma's friends. It wasn't really public."

"Keyword there: _wasn't_," said Ukyo. "Look around you."

Akane looked around curiously. All around the classroom, students were whispering and looking between her and Ranma.

"Look public to Shampoo now," said Shampoo.

"As long as they don't destroy my dojo over it, I really don't care," said Akane.

* * *

_Okay, they aren't destroying it, but still,_ thought Akane in annoyance as she stepped into her family's dojo later that afternoon. All around the general fighting area, students from her school, and even some not from their school, were lined up to watch this epic fight between Akane and Ranma. 

"How the hell did all these people hear about this?" Akane asked Ukyo, who had followed her into the dojo along with the other girls.

"News travels fast, I guess," she answered, looking around in surprise. Even the doors were open, with people looking into the dojo from the doorways.

"These people have no lives," said Akane, shaking her head as she tightened the belt of her yellow _gi_. "It's pathetic."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day Ranma challenges someone else," said Ukyo. "He's usually the one being challenged."

"Yo, people! Get out of my fucking way!" came a voice from outside the dojo doors. The crowd of people parted, and through the door walked Ranma, his friends behind him. Akane was surprised to see him wearing not a karate uniform, like hers, but a kung-fu uniform; a red Chinese shirt, black pants, and Chinese shoes.

"So you study kung-fu?" she asked as he approached her as their friends took their seats (opposite sides of the room, of course).

"Well, actually, I study a bunch of different stuff," he said. "I just happen to like the Hung-Ga uniforms." He looked around curiously. "Thought you just meant Ukyo, Shampoo, Yuka and Sayuri. I didn't think you'd already have this many friends."

"No, they're not mine," she said, noticing the crowd was quieting down for the oncoming fight. "I think the news just spread from our little…discussion at lunch."

"Weird."

"Setting that aside," said Akane, "you ready?"

"Heh," he laughed, bowing to her and getting into a stance. "Just don't cry when I beat you."

"You should be more worried, Ranma," she said, bowing back and assuming a stance herself. "It's more embarrassing when a guy cries in public than if a girl does."

With that, the two launched at each other. The crowd gasped as Akane kicked at Ranma and he blocked it so she nearly fell out of the air. She swung her other leg and caught him off guard; her kick hit him in the face and he let go of her foot. They landed back on the ground and stared at each other with amused looks on their faces.

"You're better than I gave you credit for," Ranma admitted.

"I told you not to underestimate me, Ranma," she replied. "But you're better than I was expecting, too."

"Yeah!!!"

"Go Akane!!!"

"Go Ranma!!!"

"Kick his ass!!!"

"Show her who's boss!!!"

They both looked at each other in annoyance.

"Um…" said Ranma.

"Hold on," she replied. She dropped her stance and turned to the crowd.

"Excuse me!!!" she yelled. "We don't care if you're going to watch this fight, but we ask that you make as minimal sound as possible!!!"

The crowd quieted again, and she turned back to Ranma.

"Sorry," she said, falling back into her stance. "Let's continue."

He ran at her and swung at her, but she actually grabbed his fist and flipped him over her shoulder so he crashed onto the floor. He grabbed her ankle again and tried to pull her down to the floor with him, but she ended up kicking him up into the air. She jumped up into the air after him to punch him, but he pulled her trick on her and grabbed her wrist, throwing her down onto the floor. She landed with a loud crash, and he twisted in the air to kick down on her, but she rolled over just in time so his foot broke through the floor. She jumped to her feet while he pulled his foot out of the floor.

"I hope you plan on paying for that," she said, breathing heavily.

"Sure," he said. "But you know, you moved, so it's really your fault."

"How the hell is it my fault? You were going to kick me into my floor! This is a spar, not a death match."

"Fair enough," he replied, coming after her again. This time he kicked at her legs and she, caught off guard by his sudden speed, tried to dodge it but ended up getting knocked off balance and as he swung his fist at her, she tried to duck but fell to the floor.

_Damn, he sped up,_ she thought as she kicked at his legs. _He's a lot better than I gave him credit for._

He dodged her kick and went to lift her, but she punched his cheek and knocked him out of her way long enough to roll and get up again. She ran after him and swung a series of midair kicks at him, all of which he managed to block. As she landed back on the ground, she threw a high roundhouse kick at him. He ducked out of way and punched her side, knocking her back a few steps, so they stood on opposite sides of the dojo again.

"How about…we make this match more interesting?" Ranma asked.

"Such as…?"

"If I win…you go out with me," he said. The crowd, despite their hard-held silence, broke out into murmurs, wondering if Akane would agree to it.

"Alright," she said, and everyone gasped. "But if _I _win…you won't date for the rest of the year."

That _really _set everyone off, and even Ranma's friends felt a twinge of fear. If Akane, by some chance, actually won this match, Ranma's future would be jeopardized.

"Ranma, you aren't stupid enough to actually take that bait, are you?" asked Ryoga.

"I accept," he said to her. "Because I know I'm not going to lose!"

"I'll make you eat those words, Ranma Saotome!" Akane yelled as they took off again. And for a while, no one could even really see the fighting; they were moving so fast that they were nothing more than a huge blur of yellow, red and black with the occasional foot or fist coming from the huge blur.

"Can you see what's going on?" Ukyo asked Shampoo worriedly.

"Shampoo no can tell," said Shampoo just as worriedly. "I hope Akane okay…"

Just then, the blur that was the fight separated into two, and Ranma and Akane landed on opposite sides of the room yet again. The crowd gasped in shock at the sight of the fighters. Both of them were battered and bruised up, and even bleeding from some scratches they'd given one another.

"When the hell did that all happen?" asked Hiroshi, staring at the two of them.

"Guys, this is dangerous," said Mousse. "Ranma could seriously be hurting Akane, but if he loses to her, he won't be able to fulfill his duty to his family."

"I don't see why he's betting everything on this one fight," said Daisuke. "If he loses, he could just find another girl."

"I think he genuinely likes Akane," said Ryoga. The other three looked at him.

"How do you mean, Ryoga?" asked Mousse.

"Well, Akane's the first girl he's gone after that studies martial arts just as seriously as he does," said Ryoga. "And he actually took time to try and learn about her. Granted, two weeks isn't much, but compared to the other girls, it's a much longer wait. He may actually hold some true feelings for her."

"It still isn't safe for him to put his future on the line for this," said Mousse.

"No, it isn't," he agreed. "I'm just saying, I think this time he might actually _want _to go out with her, not just see if she's suitable."

"Damn, Akane," said Ranma, and their friends all shut up, "you're so fucking stubborn."

"That's because I don't want to go out with you, Ranma," she said. "I'm not losing to you and I never will!"

"Yeah, well, even if I don't go out with you, I can't stop dating," he said. "I'm not going to let you interfere with that."

They launched at each other again, once again becoming nothing but a huge blur. Each second to the crowd felt like an eternity as the two battled it out, and the dojo had become deathly quiet. Outside, night began to fall, but no one dared move from their seat to go home. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they flew out from the fight again, both landing on one knee this time, panting, bruises beginning to form on each combatant. It was clear neither could go on much further.

"How long have they been fighting?" someone whispered.

"3 hours," someone else answered. "It's a miracle they're both still fighting."

The crowd heard these words and grew even more anxious as neither moved, just knelt, staring at one another. Finally, Ranma let out a laugh.

"Gotta say, Akane…" he said between ragged breaths, "Other than Ryoga and Mousse, you really were the best fight I've had in years."

"Likewise, Ranma," she returned.

"I…I hate to admit it…" he said, coughing, "But…you win."

He sank to his knees in a defeated bow, but she laughed.

"No, Ranma," she said. "That one was a draw."

And with that, she copied the movement as the crowd erupted.

* * *

(A/N): 

I know you're all thinking, "What the hell did that solve? They're back to square one!" but really, they aren't. They've progressed quite a ways, as you'll see in the next chapter.

I apologize for the lack of excitement in the fight, but it's really hard to make a written fight exciting. And if they're gonna fight for three hours, I'm not going to describe every little move. I ask that you forgive me and keep reading…well, when I get the next chapter up, anyway.

Oh, I got a question from a reader wondering if I'll include Ranma's curse in here…yes, I will, but it won't be a major thing. Not really. For the most part, Ranma will remain in his guy form. But only he and his father are cursed; Ryoga, Mousse, and Shampoo are all normal.

Again, I ask that if you are going to leave a review, please let it be a nice one.


	3. Chapter 3

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

Attempt #2

* * *

The next day, Ranma and Akane came to school covered in bruises and bandages. Those who hadn't witnessed the fight quickly heard about it from those who had, and soon everyone was asking them both to recount the fight. 

"Can't believe everyone's already heard about it," Akane grumbled during a class transition.

"Well, it was pretty unheard of," said Yuka. "Especially the fact that you guys were equal in strength."

"It's aggravating, though," said Ranma. Akane looked at him in surprise. It was the first time he'd spoken to her during class. "I mean, everyone keeps asking us to relive it. Can't they just accept that we fought?"

"And everyone keeps saying that Ranma lost," said Sayuri. "Bet you're not happy about that, Ranma."

"Well, I did," he said.

"No, you didn't," said Akane. "We had a draw!"

"Hey, Akane, if he's going to say you won, why do you keep denying it?" asked Daisuke.

"Because I didn't," said Akane. "I'm not going to take credit where it doesn't belong. Ranma fought a good match, and neither of us won. That's all there is to it."

"Akane's huge on honor and stuff like that," Yuka explained to Daisuke and Hiroshi. "Must be the martial artist in her."

Ranma watched Akane to see if this was true, and judging by her blush and annoyed scowl, it was. He smiled slightly. She understood things like that. Score another point for her.

He felt a slight twinge of guilt over this, though. What was he doing, really, rating these girls, using them for his own gain? It really wasn't fair to them…

He blinked at his own thoughts. _What the hell am I thinking? _he thought. _Since when do I care about stuff like that?_

He scowled at Akane. _It's because of her, _he told himself. _Her sense of justice is so strong that it's getting to me. Must ignore it!_

The others watched him curiously. He looked rather thoughtful, a strange thing for him. But before anybody could say anything, the bell rang and the next teacher came into the room, causing everyone to calm down and return to their seats.

"Alright, everyone, let's get started…"

* * *

"Seriously, though, Akane, why don't you want to say that you won?" asked Ukyo. It was after school, and she and Shampoo were coming over to Akane's house. "Everyone overheard the bet. People are going to say that you don't want him to stop chasing after you." 

"People can say whatever the hell they want," said Akane. "I really don't care."

"But if Ranma defeated, he is leaving you alone," said Shampoo. "Why not agree with him on outcome?"

"I…" said Akane, trying to find the answer herself. She _hated _having Ranma coming after her. So why didn't she say he won? He would leave her alone then, right? So why didn't she say he lost?

Slowly, a memory surfaced, a memory she had long since thought to have buried and forgotten…

"_You're such a boy, Akane!" said a young girl from her second grade class. "Why do you feel the need to shame the females of the world?"_

"_I'm not shaming any girls," said Akane. "I don't see what's so wrong with wearing jeans instead of skirts and liking martial arts. I come from a dojo, for god's sake!"_

"_There's a difference between liking martial arts and being manly enough to beat up boys," said another girl. _

"_What's wrong with that?"_

"_It's too manly for a girl! And what's with the short hair, huh? You look even more like a boy!"_

_She reached up to touch her short purple hair. "What should it matter to __**you**__ how I dress, act, and style my hair?"_

"_Don't you have any feminine __**pride**__?" _

"_Of course I do! Why don't you just leave me alone, huh?"_

"_Because you're a freak! A disgrace! Why are you even alive? You're nothing but a nuisance!"_

"_That's not true!"_

"_Fine, we'll duel over it!" said the leader of these girls. "If I win, you can't wear any jeans any more this year. It'll be all dresses and skirts. And you have to grow out your hair."_

"_And if I win?"_

"_We'll leave you alone."_

"_Fine! Let's go!" _

Akane grimaced as she remembered that painful day. The girls hadn't fought fair; when she was about to win, the others had jumped in and beat her with sticks and stones. She had technically won the duel with their leader, but they claimed to have beaten her. And because of them, she had grown out her hair and worn dresses for the rest of the year, become the hugest laughing stock in the second-grade, and worst of all, lost the passion and pride she had prized in herself. That year, she had learned to fear people, and had become shyer than anyone else in her school. It was really only when she entered high school that she had had the courage to cut it short again, and that was because she had met Ukyo and Shampoo and she felt she was finally strong enough to take on anyone that gave her shit about it.

"Akane?"

She blinked and returned to the moment. She smiled slightly, but it was a sad, reminiscent smile.

"I won't say he lost because I know what's it's like to live with someone lying about you all the time and forcing you into doing something you rightfully never should have," said Akane firmly. "That's why I will deny anyone that says I won that match. I won't ever do that to anyone, no matter who they are."

Shampoo and Ukyo looked at one another, realizing what Akane must have been talking about. They hadn't been there, but she had told them about that day and realized just what she was referring to.

"Sorry, Akane," said Ukyo. "We didn't mean to—"

"We're here!" interrupted Akane. "Let's go!"

The other two watched Akane walk into her house, then looked at one another, understanding that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Sighing, they followed her into her house, hoping that they hadn't upset Akane too much.

* * *

"I don't understand why she keeps saying it was a draw," said Ranma as he walked the directionless Ryoga home. 

"I think she's just nice," said Ryoga. "I don't really know what happened yesterday, but if you want to go out with her, you should just accept that she's actually defending you. Not many girls will do that for you anymore."

"But if she feels sorry for me, and that's why she's saying it, it's going to bother me," grumbled Ranma. "And that means that if she goes out with me, it could be out of pity. I don't want to be pitied, dammit! I'm Ranma Saotome. I don't need pity!"

"Don't you think you're fretting over this too much?" asked Ryoga. "What's the big deal? And why don't you just ask her out like you have for all the other girls?"

Ranma stared at Ryoga, but listened to his words.

"You know…" said Ranma, "I'm actually not sure. It's weird, but I don't know why I'm stepping lightly around her. Now that I think about it, I've been…holding back a lot more, with her. Weird."

Ryoga looked at Ranma. His theory seemed to be correct, that Ranma held real feelings for this girl. He hoped so, actually; he was quite fed up with Ranma's girl-chasing.

"Okay!" said Ranma suddenly. "Tomorrow, I will ask her out directly. She refuses, I give up and move on, but if she accepts, I'll put her through the tests. No more hesitating. I'll just get it over with."

"Good luck with that, Ranma," said Ryoga.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," said Ryoga thoughtfully, "Akane seems to be much more complex than any other girl you've ever asked out before. She hasn't been around you long enough to really get to like you the same way most girls do, and she seems pretty closed-up and reluctant to date in the first place. I just don't think you should expect an immediate yes."

"Well, I still have to try," shrugged Ranma. "Thanks for the advice, though."

* * *

The next day, Akane was in a pretty bad mood. She was pretty certain that most of it was due to the fact that she was PMS-ing, but she was also sort of mad at herself for letting herself dwell on the past yesterday. 

Ranma, however, was oblivious to this, and asked to talk to her in private during lunch. So they took to the roof. Their friends followed to watch, as referees in case something went wrong.

"What do you want now, Saotome?" asked Akane.

He mentally flinched at the use of his last name. He'd never heard her refer to him that way. _Is she in a bad mood…?_

"I asked what you wanted?!"

He'd said this so many times, to so many different girls, he was able to say the words easily. "Well, Akane, it's just…I've been watching you for a while, and I just wanted to know if you'd go out with me?" he asked.

She glared at him, and he felt his assuredness start to fade. Maybe this wasn't a good idea…

She walked toward him, and Ranma realized for the first time just how cute she really was, how nicely her hair framed her face, how big and brown her eyes were. He felt a blush creep up from his neck and almost freaked. He was _blushing?_ He had never, _ever _blushed before. Why now? And why when he was asking her out? It couldn't have been any other time, it just had to be now?!

"Ranma…?"

He looked down at her as she stood before him and swallowed. "Y-yeah?"

Suddenly he felt something small and hard connecting with his nose as she swung her fist at him, and he felt himself fly through the air, blood flowing freely from his face. He landed with a huge thud on the roof, at least ten feet from where he'd been standing. He blinked a couple times in shock, then sat up furiously.

"What da hell was dat fo?" asked Ranma through the blood running from his broken nose. "All I bid was bask yoo bout, yoo stupid domboy!"

"You perverted retard, why the hell would I go out with _you_?" yelled Akane. "And asking me in front of my friends, four of your ex-girlfriends, to boot! How low can you go? I'd never date a piece of shit like you!"

With that, she turned and left, her friends quickly following, trying to hold back their peals of laughter. Ranma's friends ran to his side.

"You okay?" asked Ryoga, helping his best friend up.

"Damn bitch…I'll bake her bay fo dis," snarled Ranma, running off to tend to his nose.

* * *

"Akane, that was amazing!" exclaimed Yuka. 

"He sure learned his lesson," laughed Ukyo.

"Ranma never bother Akane again!" squealed Shampoo.

Sayuri didn't even say anything, she was laughing too hard.

"Somehow, I doubt that," said Akane. "Ranma's too stubborn; he'll be back."

"You broke his fucking _nose_!" said Ukyo. "How would he have the guts to come back again?"

"If anyone would, I'll bet anything he would," said Akane. "This'll probably come back to haunt me."

"True, Ranma always has to have the last word or he isn't happy," said Sayuri, finally done laughing.

"Don't worry, Akane," said Yuka. "Ranma finally got a taste of his own medicine. He won't even be able to hold his head up for a week if this leaks out. Which, as you've noticed, is probably going to be what happens."

"God, you just _nailed _him!" laughed Ukyo again.

Akane smiled as her friends recounted this event, but inside, she was still worried. Ranma was determined to get back at her, if anything. She was going to have to watch out for a little while longer.

* * *

(A/N): 

Okay, they didn't progress as much as I intended them to, but that makes this story more interesting, right?

Well, next chapter, we get to find out a little more about both, anyway.

As always, please leave me nice reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

Blind Date…Sort Of

* * *

Ukyo was wrong. Ranma wasn't able to hold his head up for _two _weeks, and even then, everyone still had to giggle as he passed by them. And not only had he had his nose broken by a _girl_, which was shame enough for him, but all the _other_ girls finally began getting over him as well. 

"She ruined my reputation!" grumbled Ranma to Ryoga one day about three weeks after the incident. "None of the girls will even look at me anymore, except to make fun of me!"

"So you've given up on Akane?" asked Ryoga.

"Did I ever say that?" said Ranma. "No girl says no to Ranma Saotome like that and gets away with it."

"You're going to take revenge on her?" asked Ryoga. "That's like asking for a death sentence. She's already broken your nose, why keep after her? Shouldn't you be more worried about finding another girl anyway?"

"No, this is even more important," said Ranma, and Ryoga gaped at him. Did he just say that going after Akane was _more important _than finding a new girl? He looked Ranma straight in the eyes scrutinizingly.

"What?"

"Who are you and what have you done with Ranma?" asked Ryoga.

"Lay off, Ryoga," muttered Ranma. "My pride comes first."

"But you have less than a year left—"

"Don't you think I know that?!" snapped Ranma. "I'm the one who needs to find a fiancée, Ryoga, not you! So just back off, I know what I'm doing."

_I don't think you do, Ranma, _smirked Ryoga silently.

* * *

Akane, on her part, was feeling a little guilty about the whole thing. She saw Ranma starting to be cast out of the social standing because of what she had done to him and felt terrible. 

"Why should it bother you, Akane?" asked Ukyo as they walked to class one morning. "He was asking for it."

"Well…I mean, it wasn't his fault that I was already in a bad mood that day," said Akane. "And…well, I just feel bad about it, you know?"

Ukyo stared at Akane. There was no way…

"Akane, do you like him?" she asked.

Akane stared at her friend incredulously. "W-what are you talking about, Ukyo?" she asked. "Of course I don't like Ranma! After everything he's done, and probably will do? Why in hell's name would you think I liked him? That's impossible!"

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed," said Ukyo with a sly grin. "You do like him, don't you?"

"No, I don't!"

_You never were able to lie to me sufficiently, Akane, _thought Ukyo, but she let the topic drop. Akane would admit it eventually, and then Ukyo would have the gloating of her life.

As they entered the classroom, Ukyo glanced over at Ryoga. She knew he was Ranma's best friend, and the one Ranma would go to about such things. She excused herself from Akane's presence and marched over to the directionless teen.

"I want to talk to you at lunch, Ryoga," said Ukyo.

"What about?" he asked cautiously.

"Akane and Ranma," she said bluntly. "Meet me and Shampoo on the…come with us to the roof during lunch," she said quickly, remembering that he usually got lost on the way to the bathroom, which was right across the hall from their classroom. "Bring Mousse, too."

He watched her for a moment, as though seizing her up, then nodded in silent agreement. Ukyo smiled as she crossed the room to her seat. She had to confirm this suspicion of hers, but to do so, she would need their help as well.

* * *

That afternoon when lunched rolled around, Ukyo and Shampoo dashed out of the room before Akane could call to them, quickly followed by Ryoga and Mousse before Ranma noticed. They met up on the roof and sat down in a circle with their lunches. 

"So what's this about, Ukyo?" asked Ryoga. "What about Ranma and Akane?"

"Just a few questions," said Ukyo. "Does Ranma _really _actually care about Akane? He seems a little more persistent than usual this time."

The two boys glanced at one another then back at Ukyo and Shampoo. "Why do you need to know that?"

"Why won't you answer?" countered Ukyo.

"Ranma's our friend, Ukyo," said Mousse. "We're not going to talk about something like that without a good reason."

Shampoo and Ukyo looked at one another this time, communicating quickly and silently through their looks, then turned back to the boys.

"We think Akane may like Ranma," admitted Ukyo. "But the thing is she's too damn stubborn to admit it to even us, her best friends. Hell, she may not even admit it to herself. We think it'd be good for her to finally have a boyfriend, and Ranma seems determined to date her."

"He is," blurted out Mousse. "If anything, he's _desperate_ to date her. Ranma's never been so bent on one girl."

"We just don't understand why," sighed Ryoga. "I think he really does like her…but you've seen how Ranma can be."

"Is there reason why Ranma need date so much?" asked Shampoo suddenly. Ukyo, Ryoga, and Mousse all looked at her, surprised.

"Shampoo…?" asked Ukyo.

"What makes you say that?" asked Ryoga.

"During Ranma and Akane match, he say he no able to stop dating," said Shampoo. "As if he need to date lots. Shampoo wanna know why, in case it jeopardize Akane."

The boys watched Shampoo calculatingly, wondering what they should say. Ryoga finally sighed.

"We…can't tell you that," said Ryoga. "Ranma swore us to secrecy."

"But there _is_ a reason behind it?" asked Ukyo.

"Yes," admitted Mousse. "But it won't bring any harm to Akane, so long as she doesn't find out. If he chooses to tell her, then…well, let's just say Ranma will stop dating altogether."

The girls exchanged surprised looks, wondering just what it was Ranma was hiding from everyone.

"That aside," continued Ryoga, "so our best friends may like each other. But what does that matter?"

"Because we're going to set them up for a date," said Ukyo. "Assuming you guys are willing to cooperate. Are you?"

They hesitated for a moment, Ukyo and Shampoo watching them in anticipation. Ryoga turned to Mousse and they whispered together for a moment, leaving the girls with worry gnawing at the corners of their minds. Then they finally turned back and Mousse said, "Alright, we agree…but only because we know you'd try without our help anyway, and you're going to need it."

"Great," said Ukyo. "Now listen up…"

* * *

Akane walked into a little café later that day, wondering where Ukyo and Shampoo were. They had promised to meet her here, but they were nowhere to be found. 

"Akane? Is that you?"

She turned at the sound of the familiar voice and blinked in surprise to find Ranma sitting a couple tables away from where she stood, a cup of coffee in his hands. He didn't seem like a café-type person.

"Ranma…what are you doing here?" she asked, walking over to him but not sitting.

"Ryoga and Mousse were supposed to meet me here, but they aren't here yet," explained Ranma, looking just as confused as she was. "Were you supposed to meet someone here too?"

"Yeah, Shampoo and Ukyo were supposed to be here…I wonder if this was supposed to be some sort of meeting with all of us or something?" wondered Akane aloud. "They were all gone during lunch today…"

Ranma furrowed his brow and pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket. "They told me to open this when I saw someone I knew," he said. "Did they give you something like this, too?"

"Yeah, and they said the exact same thing," said Akane, frowning and pulling out a similar slip of paper. "Should we look?"

"Might as well."

She unfolded the note, as did he. On both slips of paper was a note, reading:

_HA HA! HAVE FUN, YOU GUYS!!!_

Akane stared at her note, rage building up in her stomach. Those little…! They had planned this! They weren't going to get away with it!

"Ranma, tell me something…what does your note say?"

Judging by the fact that his expression was pretty infuriated, she guessed it said the same thing, and sure enough, when he showed her, it did.

"What is this, some sort of blind date or something?" snapped Akane. "When I find those four, I'm gonna…" Too angry to continue, she snatched up her school bag and made to storm out of the door. Ranma, however, reached up and grabbed her arm.

"Wait, Akane!"

She paused, and he said sheepishly, "Why…why don't we? You know, just this once?"

She stared at him. "Me, date with you?" she asked. "Did you not get the message last time?"

"I know, but I…well…"

Then she remembered the last time, how she had broken his nose, how she had felt bad about it ever since. Maybe she did owe him this, if nothing else.

"O…kay," she said slowly. "I'll…go out with you today. But this is the last time, you got that?"

He looked positively elated, and she actually almost smiled. He released her arm and she lowered himself into the seat opposite his as he ordered another coffee for her.

"So, um…anything you want to talk about?" asked Akane after she was brought her coffee. She cursed herself for not being good at small talk, though judging from what she knew about him, he wasn't either.

"Well, um…" he said slowly, staring down into his cup, "how…how long have you been studying kenpo?"

She relaxed slightly. If it was about martial arts, she could handle anything.

"Since birth, almost," she said. "Neither of my sisters are interested in inheriting the dojo, but I am, so I've been training as long as I can remember."

"So you actually enjoy kenpo?" asked Ranma.

"To no end," she said. "What about you?"

Ranma glanced down. "I love martial arts," he said. "I'm willing to throw my life away to learn everything I can about it. The thing is, I had no choice in the matter. I would've wanted to anyway, but I'm an only child, so I was automatically assigned to take it over when I graduate."

"That soon?" asked Akane, surprised. "Why?"

He shrugged, but inside, he was rejoicing. He would have to remember to thank Ryoga and Mousse and the others later. His plan was working!

"My father says it's because they need someone young and strong. My old man isn't nearly as strong as he used to be…and he never really was in the first place," he realized.

"Does your family have any tradition you have to undergo before you inherit the dojo?" she asked, resting her chin on her hands. "I know some families do…I actually have one as well."

He swallowed. "Well, uh…yes, I do," he admitted. "But I can't give away that information to anyone. It's a family secret."

She nodded in understanding. Many families liked to keep such ceremonies from one another, so she didn't pursue the topic. They continued talking, and Akane was surprised as she began to get to know him. She learned that they had the same favorite color (red); he could actually cook (as opposed to her, who had just recently mastered boiling water without burning herself in the process); his father had taken him on a training trip for 16 years and had to be home-schooled along with it; his favorite food was ramen; and, (though it was quite by accident that she found this out,) he was afraid of cats. She discovered this as they left the café together and as he began walking her home, a cute little kitten had wandered toward them. Akane picked it up and showed it to Ranma, who took off down the street, screaming, "CAT! CAT! CAT! IT'S A SCARY, SCARY CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"

"I'm sorry, Ranma, I didn't realize you were ailurophobic," she said after finally catching up to him and finding him clinging to a light post in fear.

"I-is it g-gone?" he asked nervously. "P-please say it's g-gone!"

"Don't worry, it's gone," she said soothingly, holding her hand up to help him down. "I let it go. There's no cat around here, don't worry."

He relaxed slightly at her gentleness and took her hand, and she helped him down. She quickly released his hand, though, and returned to holding her bag with both hands. He looked down in embarrassment, putting his own hands in his pockets.

"I, uh…I didn't mean for you to see that," he muttered. "Please, don't tell anyone. If word got out that I'm afraid of cats, my life may as well be over."

"Don't worry, Ranma," she said. "I won't tell. It's the warrior's code, right?"

He watched her as she turned and began walking back the way they had come, a warm, light feeling fluttering in his chest. Had she been anyone else, they would have used that secret to their advantage, or told everyone else without a moment's hesitation. But she was willing to keep it secret for him.

Once again, Ranma felt a pang of guilt as he remembered just what it was that he was trying to do. He tried to shake it off; after all, as a martial artist, this was his duty. It didn't matter whether or not he was willing to do this; he had to, no matter what.

"Ranma, you coming?"

He snapped back to reality as she looked back and called to him.

"Yeah, wait up, I'm coming."

He ran to catch up to her, smiling a little to himself. He was really going to enjoy courting this girl.

In a nearby alley, four students exchanged satisfied looks as Ranma and Akane continued walking together.

* * *

(A/N) 

Alight, sorry for the delay everyone. I lost my writing spirit for a while…everyone seems to hate this story…or rather, the way I write it. And as you could probably tell, I have writer's block at the moment. I hope I get over it soon…I decided to finish this before school starts again, and that doesn't leave much time.

As usual, no flames, please, just NICE reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE

Enter The Families…Dinner At The Tendo's!

* * *

Akane opened her house door and called out, "I'm home!" 

"Welcome home, Akane!" called her oldest sister Kasumi from the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon!"

"Alright," she replied, slipping off her shoes and humming slightly to herself as she walked up the stairs to her room. Her other sister Nabiki walked past her on the stairs but paused and turned around to watch her little sister open her bedroom door, still humming to herself, and walk into her room with a light little skip in her step. She raised an eyebrow and grinned to herself. Looked like it was time for a little interrogation.

Fifteen minutes later, Kasumi called the family for dinner. Nabiki watched her little sister in amusement; she had a light little smile on her face and seemed bouncy.

"So, Akane, good day today?" asked Nabiki.

"Hmm?" asked Akane, taking a bite of sukiyaki. "What makes you say that?"

"Just tell me. What happened that was so amazing and exciting today?" asked Nabiki, a sly look in her eyes.

"Oh, just…hung out with a friend for a while," she said.

"A boyfriend, perhaps?" asked Nabiki.

Their father looked up sharply from his food. "A boyfriend?" Soun asked, furrowing his brows.

"Akane, you found a boyfriend?" asked Kasumi, sounding mildly surprised. Akane, on her part, was turning bright red.

"O-of course not!" she protested shakily. "As if I found a boyfriend."

"It wouldn't happen to be that Ranma boy, would it?" continued Nabiki.

Akane stared at Nabiki, her face turning, if possible, even redder. "What do you know about Ranma?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh come on, Akane, everyone at school knew about it. You fought him, you refused to date him, and you broke his nose!"

Akane scowled slightly. "So I hung out with him a little today, what's wrong with that?"

"You're ruining your reputation is what," replied Nabiki.

"Reputation? I just transferred there! And besides, why should you care? You left last year!"

Kasumi and Soun, meanwhile, was just looking between these two as they spoke, looking as though they were watching a tennis game.

"You refused to date him, yet you went out with him today? You're double-crossing yourself! Didn't you say that you would stop his insane dating? I thought you meant by beating him up, not dating him yourself!"

"I am not dating him!" protested Akane, standing up furiously. "We hung out together today completely by accident! Neither of us was planning it! It's not what it looked like, we are NOT dating!!!"

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much," said Nabiki, smirking. "So it _was_ a date, no matter what you planned. That much is right, right?"

"You know what, Nabiki, you can just shut up and keep your nose out of my business!" snapped Akane, sitting back down abruptly.

"Meaning yes," said Nabiki. "I'm sure everyone at your school is going to _love _hearing about this."

Akane glanced up at her sister, her face draining of all color. "N-Nabiki…?" she asked nervously. "Y-you aren't seriously gonna…"

"Well, why shouldn't I? No one at your school has a life, I'm sure they'd love to hear about this," said Nabiki, eating lazily.

Akane stared at her, knowing exactly what she was going to have to do. "How much are you asking for?" she asked dejectedly.

"¥2000," she said. "And considering the enormity of the secret, that's pretty cheap."

Akane sighed. "Doesn't look like I have a choice, do I?" she asked. "I'll give it to you later."

"Akane, Nabiki, who is this Ranma?" asked Soun.

"He's a playboy that goes to Furinkan," said Nabiki. "He's dated anywhere from twelve to fifteen girls in the last year alone. He's been hitting on Akane recently, but she's been fighting him tooth and nail…literally, too. Even us college students have heard of it…those of us that went to Furinkan, anyway."

"Was that the fight that Akane had a few weeks ago, when we had all those guests watching a fight in the dojo?" asked Kasumi curiously. "It was far too crowded for me to get a good look, but I heard Akane was fighting a boy from another dojo."

"That was it," nodded Akane. "It ended up being a draw, though, so our bet never was finished."

"And apparently now, Akane's actually falling for the little pervert," said Nabiki teasingly.

"_I AM NOT FALLING FOR RANMA SAOTOME!_" yelled Akane.

Soun looked at Akane. "Did you say Saotome?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?" asked Akane. "Do you know him or something?"

"He's your age, right?"

"Yes…"

Soun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He may very well be the son of my old friend, Genma Saotome," he said. "I haven't spoken to him in almost seventeen years…he sent me a letter after his son was born saying that he was to take his son on a sixteen-year-long training journey. I haven't spoken to him since."

"Genma and…Ranma," said Akane thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, the names seem far too similar. And Ranma is from a dojo, after all; he's to inherit his family's dojo right after graduation."

"Was the name of his school the Saotome School of Indiscriminate—"

"—Grappling? Yeah," finished Akane. "So he must be your friend's son. How weird is that?"

"Perhaps we could have them over for dinner sometime," suggested Kasumi. "After all, Mr. Saotome is a friend of father's, and his son is your boyfriend, right, Akane?"

"I told you, he is absolutely _not my boyfriend!!!_" snapped Akane.

"Nonetheless, why not invite him to dinner with us tomorrow night, Akane?" asked Soun. "Tell him to bring Genma and his wife, Nodoka. It's been forever since I've seen them."

Akane shook her head with a mumbled agreement. _Why_ was everyone so determined to couple her and Ranma? Even her own family…geez!

* * *

Meanwhile, in another martial household a few miles away, another teenaged martial artist was having problems with his family as well. 

"So I take it things are going well with your current girlfriend?" asked Genma.

"She ain't my girlfriend, Pop!" snapped Ranma. "She refuses to date me, and last I checked, that's a rejection, not a girlfriend."

"But you two went out today, didn't you, Ranma?" asked Nodoka gently, handing him a bowl of rice.

"Our friends set us up," grumbled Ranma. "She didn't do it willingly. I think she might've agreed to it just cuz she feels sorry for me."

"How do you mean?" asked Nodoka.

"She was the one that broke my nose three weeks ago, Mom," he said. "Since then, everyone's been sort of ignoring me, a lot more so than they used to. Akane's nice, so she probably felt guilty about it, and I think that's why she agreed to our little 'date' today."

"Are you sure she holds no feelings for—"

"What does it matter, Pop?!" he snapped. "At this rate, there's no way I could date her and observe her before graduation."

"Then why keep after—"

"I don't know!" he shouted. "Because I feel like it, does it matter? I have to find a girl to marry before graduation, or have you forgotten? If Akane hates me so much, I'm just going to have give up on her and move on."

Nodoka watched her son in surprise. Never had she seen him so distressed over one particular girl. She placed a calming hand on her son's shoulder and asked gently, "Ranma, who are you trying to convince…us? Or yourself?"

He glanced up at her, looking a little nervous. "W-what do you mean?"

"You seem to genuinely like this Akane," said Genma.

"You all keep saying that, but how would any of you know how I feel?" asked Ranma sharply. "First Ryoga and Mousse, then Hiroshi and Daisuke, and now you guys! Geez!" He stood up and made to leave the room.

"Ranma, what about dinner?" asked Nodoka.

"Not hungry," he muttered, closing the door and walking away to his room. His parents looked at one another in confusion.

"Why must you do this to him, dear?" asked Nodoka. "Why can't you let our son decide when and why he wants to marry?"

"Nodoka, you know as well as I that when there is a tradition to be upheld in a family such as ours, it must be followed through, no matter the heir's feelings."

"But this is our son—"

"And the heir to our school," finished Genma. "I may be flexible in some situations, Nodoka, but when it comes to the future of both our son and our school, I will not yield."

Nodoka sighed heavily and served her husband his dinner. She hoped dearly that this girl that was troubling Ranma so much was worth her son's temporary depression. She was certain she would be, but with Ranma's taste, well…you never knew.

* * *

The next day, Akane dragged Ukyo and Shampoo to the roof during lunch. She had not forgotten the little…situation…her friends had put her though the day before. 

"What the hell were you thinking, sending us out on a blind date like that?!" demanded Akane. "That just wasn't fair. You guys realize that if this gets out, my life is ruined!"

"Well…I mean, don't you like him, Akane?" asked Ukyo.

"And whatever gave you that impression?!" demanded Akane. "I felt sorry for him because I broke his nose just because I was PMSing and in a bad mood! Since when does that qualify as 'liking' someone?"

"But Akane watch Ranma during class," said Shampoo. "Shampoo see you watch Ranma all times."

"I…I do not watch him!" spluttered Akane.

"You do so!" said Ukyo. "Yuka and Sayuri noticed it too."

"Well, then, you guys all need your eyes checked," said Akane. "Let me get one thing straight. I do not like Ranma. At the very most, he's a friend. That's it! And apparently, his dad is my dad's best friend. So when I ask him to dinner with my family later, do not mention anything like this, alright?"

The other two just nodded. They knew when to back off when it came to Akane. She may be mild-mannered most of the time, but if you got her pissed you were in trouble. So they knew that right now, they should just lay off.

"Thank you," said Akane, relaxing a bit. "And no more planning blind dates with Mousse and Ryoga! Cuz the next time, I guarantee that someone _will_ get hurt for it."

"Yes, Akane," they said sheepishly.

"Good. Now let's get back to the classroom, I'm starving."

* * *

Ranma's reaction to his friends was quite different from Akane's. 

"God, guys, I can't thank you enough," said Ranma. "Maybe now she'll stop seeing me as a perverted bastard and start actually seeing _me_."

"But…you are a perverted bastard," said Ryoga. "So what's the difference?"

Ranma kicked Ryoga's shin. "Oh, shut up," he said. "You know that girl-chasing isn't the only thing in my life. Just half of it!" he finished matter-of-factly.

The other four boys rolled their eyes. Leave it to Ranma to work out a logical-sounding but completely stupid explanation like that.

"In any case, she's starting to thaw a little," said Ranma. "I don't think she totally hates me anymore."

"She just hates you a little then?" asked Daisuke sarcastically.

"Yup," answered Ranma with complete seriousness. The others just exchanged annoyed glances. (a/n: I really make it seem like they really don't like Ranma, don't I? But they love him. How could they not? LOL on with the story, sorry for the interruption.) "I really owe you guys one for yesterday."

"Why not set me up with Shampoo, then, Ranma?" asked Mousse eagerly.

"Mousse, I know I said I owe you one, but I'm not a miracle worker," said Ranma. "If you want my advice on that one–which you probably don't, but I'll tell you anyway—stop stalking her and just talk to her. It's not as if you guys are complete strangers, right? You came from the same village, for crying out loud!"

"That's the problem, Ranma, our ways are different than yours!" said Mousse. "You see, years ago, when we were three, Shampoo knocked me out in a mock-fight. That disqualified me as a potential suitor, even if it was just when we were toddlers. So my only chance is to get Shampoo to forget about the Amazonian laws and like me for real, not because of some dumb law."

"Mousse, aren't you an Amazonian too?" asked Daisuke. "So no matter what, you have to follow the laws as well."

"I'm willing to leave the Amazonian tribe if it means that I can be with Shampoo," said Mousse quietly. "I love her way more than that village anyway."

None of them noticed the girls walking back into the classroom from their little discussion, and Shampoo nearly froze upon overhearing these words. Ukyo and Akane paused as well, but decided not to say anything to her while they were still by the boys. They continued across the room to where Yuka and Sayuri were waiting for them.

"What's wrong, Shampoo?" asked Yuka immediately. "You look pale as a ghost."

"Shampoo overhear Mousse say he love me," said Shampoo quietly.

"You mean you didn't know?" asked Sayuri in surprise. "I heard that the whole reason he came here to Japan was because he followed you."

"Mousse…always like Shampoo," admitted Shampoo. "Shampoo no can be with Mousse, though."

"Why?" asked Sayuri.

"Mousse and Shampoo are both Amazonians," said Ukyo. "They have laws they have to follow. For instance, any man Shampoo has defeated in any manner whatsoever is disqualified as a potential husband, but the first man that manages to defeat her must become her husband."

"You've already defeated Mousse?" asked Yuka.

"Mousse and Shampoo were three year old," said Shampoo. "We play-fight, but Shampoo accidentally knock Mousse out. Cannot marry now unless he defeat me…and there no chance of that."

"Why not?" asked Sayuri.

"Sayuri, can you seriously see Mousse having the heart to defeat Shampoo?" asked Akane. "Mousse is really nice; even if it meant being able to marry the woman he loves, he doesn't want to force her into marriage like that."

"Oh…" said both girls sympathetically, looking at the Chinese girl.

"Do you like Mousse, Shampoo?" asked Ukyo kindly.

"Shampoo…Shampoo no know," sighed the poor young girl. "No know anything right now…"

The rest of the girls exchanged looks, silently agreeing not to pressure her anymore, so they began talking about lighter topics. Akane had a niggling feeling that she knew how Shampoo really felt, though, and made a mental note to talk to her about it later.

At the moment, though, Akane had her own boy problems to deal with, she noted, as she glanced up at the clock, which was slowly ticking away the seconds to the end of the school day, when she'd have to invite the Saotomes to dinner with her family…

* * *

As soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, Akane went over to Ranma, grabbed him by his pigtail, and began dragging him through the school hallways, ignoring his cries of pain and annoyance. She knew that their friends were following them, but she didn't particularly care. She didn't release him until they were outside the gates of the school. 

"What the hell, Akane?" he snapped, rubbing his head vigorously.

"My family wants yours to come to dinner with us tonight," she said, deciding to just get to the point. "Be there or I'll kill you."

He blinked down at her in confusion. "Um…what?" he asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Are you deaf?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I'll try to make it simpler. Dinner, tonight, my place, bring your family."

"No, I got that part, just…why?" he asked.

"Because my dad wants you guys to, that's why," she said. "Apparently our fathers were best friends years ago. That is, assuming that your father's name is Genma."

"Yeah, it is…but…"

"So it's settled. Be there by five," she said, motioning to her friends as she turned to leave. The other girls quickly followed her while the boys approached Ranma, who was still wondering what the hell just happened.

"What was that about, Ranma?" asked Daisuke.

"Hell if I know," he said. "C'mon, let's get going."

* * *

That evening, the Saotomes did indeed come to the Tendo dojo for dinner. Kasumi was sweeping in the front gate when the three of them walked up, but as they approached, she paused and glanced up. 

"Oh, hello," she said pleasantly. "You must be the Saotomes. Please, do come in."

"Kasumi?" asked Genma, peering at her. "Is that you?"

She blinked and tilted her head slightly. "Yes…I'm sorry, have we met?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not surprised you don't remember us," said Nodoka. "You were only three years old the last time we saw you. And dear Nabiki was only a year old."

"I see," said Kasumi, smiling. "That would explain a few things, then. Please, come in. My father and sisters are eagerly awaiting your presence. I'm afraid dinner is not ready just yet, you'll just have to wait a little while."

"Of course," said Genma, bowing. "Thank you for having us."

"Oh, no, thank you for coming," replied Kasumi, also bowing. Ranma rolled his eyes. He never did get that whole bowing thing when someone invited you over. Kasumi stepped aside and showed them the way to the house. They walked into the house and Soun came into the entrance hall.

"Saotome, my old friend!" exclaimed Soun. "How nice to see you again!"

"Likewise, Tendo!" said Genma excitedly. They ran at one another as though they were going to (and Ranma cringed at this thought) _hug_, but at the last second, they turned slightly and attacked one another simultaneously. Ranma just stared at them as they started laughing their heads off, as though this was nothing new.

"Ranma, please, your shoes," said Nodoka, completely ignoring the two men.

"Uh…right," he said, slipping off his shoes. He looked around, wondering if Akane was here. As he wondered, another Tendo sister walked into the room…but unfortunately for Ranma, she wasn't Akane.

"Oh, hello, Ranma," said Nabiki. "You may not know me, but…"

"You're Nabiki Tendo," said Ranma. "The famous sociopathic, money-loving girl that graduated last year."

"I see my reputation reached my old underclassmen as well," she said with a sly smile. "Now, I have a deal for you…"

"No way," said Ranma.

"But you don't know what it is yet!"

"I said no way," he said. "Making deals with you is asking for trouble. Even I know that."

"Fine then," she said, turning away. "Guess Akane's not gonna be very happy with me then."

He meant to ignore her, but those words caught his attention…as Nabiki knew they would.

"W-what do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, Akane asked me to not tell anyone about your little date the yesterday," she said. "Said it would ruin her reputation. But if you're not going to make the deal, I guess I'm just going to have to—"

"Wait," said Ranma. "If Akane doesn't want anyone to know…then fine, what's the deal?"

"¥3000," she said. "That's all, and you can keep Akane happy."

He scowled for a moment but said reluctantly, "Fine, whatever. I'll bring the money over tomorrow."

"Nabiki!" yelled a voice from up the stairs. Ranma and Nabiki looked up to find Akane descending the stairs, a look of anger on her face. Ranma felt rather surprised as he noticed that she was wearing jeans. Depsite her tomboyish nature, for some reason, he had never been able to hold the thought of her wearing pants, just skirts or dresses. That may have had to do with the fact that he'd only ever seen her in her school uniform or her _gi, _but still, it was a surprise. She, meanwhile, stormed up to her sister and snapped, "You already promised you wouldn't tell about that! How dare you try to cheat Ranma out of money?"

"Can't blame a girl for trying to make a little cash," shrugged Nabiki. "Guess you're off the hook, then, Ranma," she added, leaving the room. Ranma stared after her, as did Akane.

"I can't believe how different you and your sisters are," he stated. "A mother-like one, a greedy one, and a tomboy."

"Hey, who're you calling a tomboy?" she asked furiously. "I just saved you ¥3000! You'd better be grateful for it, because I'm not doing it again if you're going to call me a tomboy!"

"I was teasing!" he said. "Geez, what the hell is your problem?"

Akane opened her mouth to say something, but then Kasumi called from the kitchen that dinner was ready. She closed her mouth and just turned resolutely away, leaving him to stare after her. When she left the room, though, he couldn't help but laugh a little. She was so cute when she was angry!

"Ranma, come on!" called Genma, and Ranma followed, still laughing to himself.

His smile quickly faded, however, when he entered the room and took in the seating arrangement. Apparently, their families already thought of them as a couple, because the only place left to sit was by Akane. Cursing his parents, he sat down lightly beside Akane, in case he had to get up in a hurry should she decide to attack him during dinner.

"So, Genma, how's life been?" asked Soun.

"Well, Soun…"

And soon they were off, talking about random stuff, leaving the women and Ranma to themselves. Nabiki and Kasumi quickly engaged Nodoka in a conversation, leaving Ranma and Akane to talk to each other…which Akane, apparently, was not very willing to do.

"So, Akane…um…how did Nabiki find out about yesterday?" he asked.

Akane blushed as she remembered how happily she had been acting the previous night, all because of a stupid date with a stupid boy that she _didn't even like._ Not even she could explain why she had felt so happy after that little excursion, but it was not because she liked him. No, she did NOT like Ranma! Nope. No way. And he did _not_ look totally hot in those Chinese clothes of his. And she wasn't going to talk to him, either. So there!

"Because I was so late getting home yesterday," she lied, damning her very weak willpower on this matter.

"Oh…I'm…sorry about that," he said quietly. "If I wasn't so afraid of cats…"

"Oh, no, that's no problem!" she said also quietly so the others souldn't hear, suddenly looking at him, no traces of anger to be found. "That wasn't your fault. I mean, you can't help it if you're afraid of cats!"

"Yeah, but still…"

"There is one thing I wanted to ask, though…_why_ are you afraid of cats?"

He coughed, almost choking on the tea he had been in the process of drinking. He coughed a few times before finally settling down, a look of dread on his face.

"I, uh…I'd rather not say," he mumbled finally.

"C'mon, Ranma, tell me," she said. "I won't tell, I promise."

"I know that, but…"

"Please?"

He couldn't resist, not with her looking up at him with those brown eyes sparkling with interest. Damn her and her big brown eyes!

"Alright…but promise you won't laugh?" he asked.

"Promise."

"Well…um…when I was a kid, Dad tried teaching me something he called Cat-Fu."

"Oh, I've heard of that," she broke in. "The method of the legendary Cat-Fist, a technique that only the truly powerful can master."

"Right, well…that's a lie. It's possible for even a coward to learn."

She raised an eyebrow. This sounded interesting.

"That is, assuming the coward's trainer is stupid enough to wrap the trainee in meat and throw him into a pit of starving cats."

She stared at him. "You're joking, right?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" he asked. The thing was, he didn't. He looked dead serious. "Dad did that to me too many times to count, wrapping me in all sorts of meats, throwing me into pits of hungry cats. Those cats loved me cuz I technically fed them; they terrified me because they were so hungry they tore at me over and over and over again. That was about ten years ago…and I've been scared of cats ever since. I learned the technique but…"

She felt the strong urge to laugh, but she had promised that she wouldn't. So she just pursed her lips and said, "Well…yes, that would explain a few things."

He watched her in amazement. He could see that she wanted to laugh, but she refused to just because she said she wouldn't. This girl just continued to surprise him more and more the more he got to know her. Maybe…maybe he would be able to…

He shook his head mentally. _No. I can't tell her that_, he thought. _Even she wouldn't be able to accept something like…like __**that**__. If I have any say in it, she'll __**never **__learn what a freak I truly am._

"…Ranma? Are you listening to me?"

"Huh?" he replied smartly, mentally hitting himself for dazing off.

"I asked if you want to spar after dinner," said Akane. "A little workout, you know?"

"Um…sure, why not?" he said. He smiled that cocky smile he was so known for. "I'll try to take it easy on you."

"Don't give me that, Ranma," she said. "You should know better than to underestimate me by now, if your nose is any indication."

"Hey, that's not fair!" he said. "I was off guard that day. I was asking you out, for god's sake, why should I have been prepared for a fight?"

"Cause this is me we're talking about," she said.

"…Good point," he muttered.

"Oh, and no stakes tonight, alright?" she said. "Just a normal spar."

"Whatever you say, Akane," he said.

* * *

So, after dinner and Akane changing into her _gi_, the two of them went off to the dojo for a little practice spar. Everyone else stayed in the house to watch T.V. (although they were really just trying to get the two of them alone…heh heh heh). They stood in the same spots they did last time they had fought, though they both were pretty happy that there weren't any people on the sidelines to worry about. 

"Don't you dare go easy on me or I'll kill you," said Akane as she bowed.

"Don't worry," he promised, also bowing. Under his breath, he added, "I have…other plans, Akane."

She charged him, and he ducked as she threw a punch. Over and over, she punched or kicked while he just ducked each and every one of them.

"What's your problem?" she said. "Hit me back!"

Ranma, however, did nothing except continue to dodge each move she made. He felt rather annoyed because he could tell she was holding back, but for his plans, it would do just fine. Eventually, they began working their way around the dojo, going in circles as she attacked while he evaded. He was beginning to have a hard time of it; his fighting spirit screamed at him to join in the spar, but his mind said don't do anything if you want this to work. Finally, when they had circled the dojo for about the 5th time, he finally made a motion other than a duck. As she reached out to punch, her reactions slightly slower than before from her constant attacks, he jumped, using her fist for support, and landed behind her. She, taken by surprise, wasn't quick enough to move away as he kicked his foot at hers, causing her to trip backwards—right into his arms.

She froze as she realized what had just happened. He was holding her half-bridal style, supporting her and preventing her from hitting the ground. And all she could do was stare up at him like an idiot.

"I win," he murmured, and Akane became very aware of the fact that their faces were just a little too close to one another's.

"R-Ranma?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

He lowered his head closer, and she felt her face heat up as his lips came in so very, very close to hers. She couldn't help but lean up in anticipation, pretty certain of what was coming. But at the last second, his mouth veered away from hers to whisper in her ear, "By the way, Akane…no girl says no to me and gets away with it for very long."

She shivered, for more than one reason. He then proceeded to help her back on her feet, looking as though nothing had happened. She, on the other hand, felt like a fool. He could've kissed her—she thought he was going to kiss her—and what does she go and do? She was going to let him! Even worse, she was not only expecting it, but also wanting it. She even tried to help him do it! What was wrong with her? Why had she done such a stupid, foolish thing, when she didn't even like him? And worst of all, why did it feel like her heart was being crushed?

She didn't like it, these feelings coursing through her. So she released them in the only way she knew how: she lost her temper and attacked Ranma.

"RANMA SAOTOME!!!" she screamed, launching herself at him, fists flailing wildly. He, however, grabbed both her wrists and stopped her in her path. She made to kick him in the groin, but he stopped her with his leg.

"Why so angry, Akane?" he asked innocently, looking down at her. "Did you want me to do anything? Were you expecting me to say or do something else?"

She hated him sooooo much right now. Obviously he knew what she was angry about, but she couldn't say it herself without making it sound as though she wanted him to kiss her. And even if she had, she was _not_ about to admit that.

"Ranma! Time to go home!"

"Coming, Pop!" Ranma called back to the voice calling from the house. He released Akane and made to leave. She just stared after him, hate written on every line of her face while he just whistled nonchalantly, hands folded behind his head as he walked to the exit.

"See you tomorrow, tomboy," he called behind him as he left the training hall.

"Damn you, you stupid pervert!" she yelled after him. He made no reaction and soon, he had vanished into the falling darkness outside. She cursed him a few more times before she dashed off to the house to lock herself in her room and fume over this. He was _not _going to get away with this!!!

* * *

(A/N): 

Hmm…this chapter was a little longer than the others, but oh well.

As you may have noticed, I plan on setting the other _Ranma ½_ couples in motion very soon, starting with the second most-obvious couple in the series; Shampoo and Mousse!

Nice reviews keep me updating:-P


	6. Chapter 6

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER SIX

Ranko, The Mysterious Pigtailed Girl

* * *

"…And that's what happened!" finished Akane. She was at Ukyo's okonomiyaki shop along with Shampoo, explaining the events of the previous evening.

"So…he nearly kissed you, and you were going to _let_ him?" asked Ukyo as she flipped and grilled a few okonomiyaki for her customers.

"I don't know why, but yeah," said Akane. "It was as though…I don't know, some part of me longed for it. As though I was a completely different person."

"Miss Akane?"

She looked around at the nearby 'waitress' who was offering her some tea.

"It's really not my place to speak…" he said, handing her the tea, "but…it sounds to me as though you hold very strong feelings for this man."

"The thing is, Konatsu, I don't," said Akane, accepting the tea gratefully. "Which is why I don't understand why I acted the way I did."

"Girls can be in love for long time without knowing," said Shampoo quietly. "Then one day…bam! You realize you in love."

Akane gazed at her friend sympathetically. "That reminds me, Shampoo…I wanted to talk to you about Mousse," she said gently.

She jerked her head up suddenly. "What about Mousse?" she asked quickly.

"I know you like him, Shampoo," said Akane. "And obviously he loves you. So why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

"Akane no understand how absolute Chinese law is," said Shampoo. "No can go against, or you either exiled or killed."

"That's the thing, Shampoo, we do understand," said Ukyo. "But to us, your happiness should be more important than some law. And Mousse said it himself, he's willing to leave behind the Amazonian tribe to be with you."

"Shampoo…no want to leave tribe," said Shampoo. "And Mousse understand that. That another reason why he no intend to defeat Shampoo, why he no come out and admit anything."

"But, Shampoo, when it comes down to it, which do you love more?" asked Akane. "Mousse…or the tribe?"

"Shampoo no can answer," she said. "Shampoo…don't know. Don't know if Shampoo even love Mousse. And tribe mean everything to Shampoo."

"You at least like him, don't you?" asked Akane. "Or this wouldn't bother you so much."

"Akane have no right saying," said Shampoo. "Why problem with Ranma bother Akane so much if she no like Ranma?"

"…I…" started Akane, but of course, she had no answer, even for herself. Why _did_ she obsess over this so much? Surely she didn't like Ranma…did she…?

"Don't change the subject, Shampoo," said Ukyo, though she did want to discuss that, too. But Shampoo's happiness was closer than Akane's, and she wanted to work on that right now. "Do you like Mousse, hold any feelings for him at all?"

A silence fell as the girls allowed Shampoo to contemplate this suggestion. Akane looked out the window at the steadily falling rain. Usually she loved the rain, but today, for some reason, it seemed to hold a sort of loneliness. She wondered if it was just the heaviness of her own heart burdening her view of the rain…

"Shampoo…like Mousse," said Shampoo suddenly. "Shampoo always like Mousse. But…no chance of being together."

Akane looked back at Shampoo, wondering how to help. She was usually good with love problems, but when it came to Shampoo's or her own, she didn't have a clue. After all, Shampoo had laws she had to follow, and if she crossed those lines, she was in deep trouble.

The silence was broken suddenly by a small beeping sound. Shampoo pulled something out of her pocket and said, "Aiyaa! Shampoo must get back to Cat Café. Great-grandmother has delivery!" She slipped the pager back into her pocket and jumped to her feet. "Shampoo see Ukyo and Akane tomorrow!" she promised, rushing out of the restaurant.

The other two just stared after her, before Akane finally stretched and stood.

"I should get going, too," she said. "See you tomorrow, Ucchan."

"Akane," said Ukyo before she left. "Think about it tonight. Your feelings for him, I mean. Otherwise you'll be completely lost for the rest of however long this will last."

Akane looked back at her friend, glad she wasn't lecturing her so much as giving her advice. "Thanks, Ucchan. I will," she promised as she opened her umbrella and stepped out into the rain.

She didn't really feel like going back home yet, so she just wandered the streets of Nerima, trying to think this through. How _did_ she feel about Ranma? He was such an aggravating bastard, but for some reason, she just couldn't stop thinking about him. And worse, she didn't seem to _want_ to stop thinking about him. She thought back to earlier that day, when she had been sitting in class. For some reason, Ranma had been absent today. She wondered if he had caught a cold or something; it had started raining soon after the Saotomes had left last night and hadn't stopped since. Maybe all three of them had caught colds from walking home in the rain.

She paused as she thought about that. He could be sick in bed, and with Mousse working and Ryoga's sense of direction, he might not have had any visitors. After last night, she wasn't really feeling up to seeing him, but how did he feel, lying in his bed, no one coming to see him? She turned back and rushed back to Ukyo's store.

"Ukyo!" she said, rushing back into the restaurant, not even bothering to close the door. "Do you know where Ranma lives?"

Ukyo, on her part, was stunned to hear this. Had she realized her feelings so quickly, and was going to go tell him? "Sure, but…why?"

"I, um…I just want to go see if he's okay," she said. "Since he wasn't at school today, you know?"

"Oh," said Ukyo, feeling a little disappointed. "Hold on a sec. Konatsu!" she called to the waiter/waitress. "Man the grill for a moment, would you?"

"Of course, Miss Ukyo," said Konatsu, bowing and taking his employer's place behind the grill. Ukyo herself walked through the doorway in the corner of the room and reappeared a few moments later with a slip of paper in her hand.

"Here," she said, handing her the address. "That's his address. Let me know what happens tomorrow, alright?"

"You got it," said Akane. "Thanks, Ucchan."

Ukyo smiled as her best friend left once again, setting off for Ranma's house. Konatsu came up behind her, watching Akane's vanishing figure as well.

"She really loves him, doesn't he?" asked Konatsu.

"Yeah," said Ukyo a little distantly. "She really does…"

"Miss Ukyo? Are you alright?" asked Konatsu.

"Yeah…" she said. "It's just…everyone suddenly seems to be finding someone, Konatsu. Shampoo and Mousse, Ranma and Akane…yet here I am, still without anyone to call my own."

"He's around somewhere, Miss Ukyo," said Konatsu, also a little sadly. "He could be standing right in front of you. He'll come along, and when he does…well, I hope you're just as happy as all your friends."

Ukyo looked up at Konatsu, a surprised smile on her face. "You're right, Konatsu," she said. "I'll be fine. Thanks."

She returned to her post behind the grill at the sound of hungry customers, but Konatsu didn't move for a moment as he watched his employer, wishing that somehow, someway, she could come to like him as he loved her.

He looked down at himself, the kimono he was wearing. Maybe it was time for a change…

* * *

Akane walked along the streets, a few miles away from her house. The rain had begun to fall even harder, but that didn't deter her from her mission.

"According to Ukyo, his house should be on the next block," she said to herself. She put the little slip of paper in her pocket and looked straight ahead. She blinked as she spotted a bright red shirt through the dreary gray fog. The person didn't seem to have an umbrella and seemed to be walking a little slowly, as though they were hurt.

"Hey!" she called out, dashing toward the person. "Are you alright?"

As she got closer, the person paused and turned around. It was a girl, wearing an outfit that looked hauntingly familiar…as a matter of fact, it looked almost exactly like Ranma's clothes.

"Akane!" said the girl in surprise. Akane slowed down, confused.

"That's my name, but…do I know you?" she asked, trying to remember if she'd ever seen her before. She looked very similar to Ranma, except that her hair was flaming red, and, of course, she was a girl. She was also quite a bit shorter than Ranma. But her eyes were the same bright blue, her hair in the same pigtail, the Chinese clothes the same exact colors and style…she even wore protective gauntlets like Ranma.

"Oh!" said the girl. "Um…no, you wouldn't know me, but…"

"You look very similar to my b—my friend, Ranma," she said, looking down at her curiously. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, um…I'm uh…I'm his little sister," she said. "My name's Ran…ko. Ranko Saotome." She bowed. "Pleased to meet you."

"Oh, likewise," said Akane, also bowing. "Why don't you get under here?" she added, indicating the umbrella. "You'll catch a cold if you keep walking in the rain."

"Um…thanks," said Ranko, stepping under the umbrella.

"So, if you're Ranma's sister, why weren't you at my house yesterday?" asked Akane as they resumed walking. "We had your parents and brother there for dinner."

"I…um…I was visiting a friend," replied Ranko. "I had had it planned already so I couldn't miss it…"

"Oh, I see," said Akane. "So, how'd you know it was me, then?"

"My brother…talks about you a lot," she said. "He showed me a picture of you…"

Akane blinked, wondering what in the living hell Ranma was doing with a picture of her. She thought that over and shuddered. She didn't even want to know.

"So…why are you in this neighborhood, Akane?" asked Ranko. "My brother told me you don't live near here…"

"Oh, um…I was just on my way to see your brother," Akane replied. "He wasn't at school today and I wanted to make sure he was alright. Does he have a cold or something?"

"I think so…" said Ranko, coughing a little. "We all caught something last night, I guess…"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Akane. "I hope you all feel better soon."

Ranko came to a stop, and Akane looked around to see that she had arrived at the Saotomes' house. Nodoka herself was walking out with an umbrella, taking out the trash. She looked up to see Akane and Ranko standing there.

"Akane!" she exclaimed. "Whatever are you doing here, and in this rain?"

"I was, um…worried about Ranma," she said quietly. "I came to see him, you know, to see if he's alright."

Nodoka furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as her eyes fell upon Ranko. "But he's…"

Ranko looked up and made a quick shushing motion. Akane didn't see this, since Ranko was behind her, but Nodoka did, and she instantly understood.

"He's sick, dear," she said quickly. "He caught a cold last night. But if you'd like to come in, I will let him know that you're here…"

"Would you?" asked Akane happily. "Thank you so much!"

Nodoka smiled and led Akane and Ranko into the house. They took their shoes off and left their umbrellas, and Nodoka led Akane into their dining room as Ranko dashed off to the kitchen.

"Please, Akane, sit," said Nodoka, making a motion to the table. "I'll go fix you some tea and let Ranma know you're here."

"Thank you," said Akane, sitting down graciously. "I'm sorry for troubling you…"

"Oh, no, it's no trouble at all!" said Nodoka. "I'm quite glad, really. I'm sure Ranma will be elated to see you."

_Somehow I doubt that…_thought Akane, remembering the previous night and blushing slightly. Aloud, though, she just said, "Thank you."

Nodoka walked into the kitchen, where Ranko stood by the stove, boiling some water.

"I take it she doesn't know?" asked Nodoka in a low voice as she took out a second kettle.

"No," said Ranko, switching off the heat as the kettle began to whistle. "And I don't plan on telling her," she added. "So please, Mom, don't tell her anything."

"Alright, dear," she said. "But you know, if you intend on marrying her…"

"We don't know that yet, Mom," said Ranko. "So for now, she won't find out." She grabbed the kettle and left the room, dashing upstairs. Nodoka sighed and finished making the tea. She set a tray and brought it to the dining room.

"Thanks so much, Mrs. Saotome," said Akane, accepting her tea. "But what about Ranko? Shouldn't she have some? She was walking out in that rain, after all…and without an umbrella."

"Ranko will be fine, dear," said Nodoka. "Now then, I've let Ranma know that you're here. Why don't you follow me…I'll show you to his room."

"Oh…thanks," said Akane, standing and following her upstairs. They reached Ranma's room and Nodoka knocked gently.

"Ranma, dear?"

"Yeah, come in," came Ranma's voice from the room. Nodoka opened the door and moved aside to let Akane in before her.

"Akane!" said Ranma, putting down a manga he'd been reading. She waved shyly as she took in his appearance. He really did look a little sick. His face was flushed, as though he was heated, and every few minutes, he coughed slightly.

"Well, then, I'll leave you two alone," said Nodoka, turning and leaving, closing the door behind her. Akane stood, rooted to the spot, suddenly wondering what there was to say. After all, the last thing she'd said to him last night was that he was a stupid pervert. So now what was she supposed to say?

"So, why'd you come here?" he asked, motioning for her to sit on the edge of his bed. "I didn't even know you knew my address."

"I got it from Ucchan," she said, sitting lightly on the foot of his bed. "I was a little worried…you know, cuz it started raining almost as soon as you left and then you weren't at school today…"

"You were worried about me?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "But…I thought you hated me?"

"I don't hate you, Ranma," she said, looking at him with a little frown. "Where'd you get that idea?"

_I wonder…_he thought sarcastically. Aloud, he said, "Anyway, why'd you come here? Homework or something?"

"No, I…" She trailed off, wondering. Why _did _she want to come here, anyway? To see if he was alright, sure, but she knew there had to be another reason in there somewhere…

"Because I wanted to apologize," she said suddenly. "For the way I acted last night."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Why would you want to apologize for that?" he asked. "That was my fault."

"Because…I was pissed because I didn't know how to react," she said quietly. "I've…never been good with emotions…or boys, for that matter. The only way I've dealt with things for most of my life was either keeping quiet and shying away from the problem, or getting pissed and attacking it. The way I acted wasn't your fault…so I'm sorry."

He stared at her. He was seriously shocked. He could tell this wasn't easy for her to admit, her being wrong, but here she did it anyway. And the thing was, he didn't even consider last night her fault. He knew that it would be coming, but provoked her anyway. It was just his stupid, selfish fault.

She jumped to her feet suddenly. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that," she said. "So I guess I'll just be going now…"

"Akane!" he said, not wanting her to leave just yet, but not having a reason to make her stay. However, she did pause and look around at him.

"What?"

"I…I just…" he stuttered, then turned away. "Never mind."

She looked at him, wondering what was up with him, but glancing at her watch, she realized she needed to get home soon anyway.

"Ranma, I really have to go, so I'll see you later," she said, opening the door.

"Right," he mumbled.

"Oh, and Ranma?"

He looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"Get better soon," she said with a small smile. "I wanna spar with you again."

He blinked. "Um…"

"Promise you'll get better?" she asked.

"…Yeah," he said finally with a small smile of his own. "I promise."

* * *

(A/N):

You know, it's a really good thing fanfic authors are allowed to write OOC, or else I'd be in big trouble with this story.

Oh, and regarding Konatsu:

For those of you who may not know who Konatsu is (I don't think he's in the anime, is he…?), he's a kunoichi that Ukyo employed near the end of the series. Yes, I just said he's a kunoichi. He thinks he's a girl because he was raised by women…or at least, people who say they're women but look more like really ugly men out of "The Godfather" or something, except that they have boobs. Anyway, I think Konatsu thinks he's a lesbian because he's in love with Ukyo, but really, he's straight because he's really a guy. I know, that's confusing as hell.

I don't know how many of you have read the manga (after all, I do base my Ranma fanfics off the manga, not the anime…I love the anime but I read the manga first, which is the original story anyway so I always stick to it) and know who Konatsu is, but I'm sorry if you don't support the Konatsu/Ukyo coupling, but I always liked it cuz to me, it seemed funny. After all, Ukyo always looks like a guy, and Konatsu looks like a girl. And I needed someone that wasn't Ranma to be her boyfriend, and frankly, Tsubasa Kurenai scares me. So please don't get mad at me for making Konatsu Ukyo's significant other. I know I'm gonna lose some of my few readers over this but oh well…

And that means that I'm using Akari as Ryoga's girlfriend. I think a lot of people forget about poor Akari but personally, I like her. She'll be coming in soon as well.

No flames please! On to the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire

* * *

"So, Akane?" asked Ukyo the next day. "Have you thought about how you feel about Ranma?" 

"No," lied Akane. "And I don't intend to. I already told you, Ranma's a friend at best. That's it. I don't like him."

"Although, Ukyo," said Sayuri, leaning forward across the desks, "_I've _heard that you may have a boyfriend you won't tell us about."

Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyo herself all stared at her and Yuka in surprise.

"A secret boyfriend?" asked Akane. "Guys, even if she didn't tell you guys, Ukyo would've told _us _if she had a boyfriend. And I've heard nothing about this."

"Me either," said Shampoo. "Ukyo no have boyfriend."

"Well, _I've _heard that Konatsu has a thing for you," said Yuka. "You know, your cross-dressing waiter?"

"_Konatsu_?" asked Ukyo incredulously. "You think me…and Konatsu…where the hell did you guys get that idea?"

"Maybe from the way he watches you all the time?" suggested Sayuri. "Haven't you ever noticed how much he likes you?"

"Guys, Konatsu doesn't like me," said Ukyo. "Hell, Konatsu thinks he's a girl. Even if he did like me, there's no way in hell that he'd do anything about it. He'd think it was forbidden."

"Are you _sure_ he thinks he's a girl?" asked Yuka. "I mean, he may have realized by now that he's a guy. Living in the city might have made him notice the differences between a girl and a guy."

"I doubt it," aid Ukyo firmly. "Konatsu and I aren't a couple, end of story."

"Why we talk about nothing but relationships?" asked Shampoo suddenly.

"Cuz that's the best thing there is to talk about?" suggested Yuka.

"Speaking of relationships," sprung in Sayuri, "have you guys heard? Akari thinks she's ready to admit to Ryoga!"

"Seriously?!" gasped Ukyo.

"Hold up, who's Akari?" asked Akane, who still couldn't remember every name and face in the class.

"See girl in corner, watching Ryoga?" asked Shampoo in a whisper. Akane glanced to the side to see an almost farm-girl type girl sitting shyly at a corner desk. She was indeed eyeing Ryoga.

"Yeah?"

"That's Akari Unryu," said Ukyo. "She's had a crush on Ryoga ever since middle school. Can't figure out why, but she does. She's been watching him for, like, ever, and if she thinks she's ready to confess, that's a great sign!"

"Does she always sit by herself like that?" asked Akane, frowning slightly.

"She refuses to sit with anyone," said Yuka. "She doesn't want anyone to deter her from her mission of staring Ryoga down. It's really a shame…Akari's super nice. We've always wanted to try and be friends with her…"

"Okay, _that's _devoted to the point of creepy," said Akane. She stood and marched over to Akari's desk as her friends looked on in surprise.

"Akari?"

Akari blinked, having been totally oblivious to Akane's approach, and looked up at her. "Y-yes?" she asked.

"Why don't you come sit with us?" she asked kindly.

"I-I'm sorry," she said. "I just…prefer to sit alone."

"That would be fine if it was true, but if it's just to watch Ryoga, then you're not winning yourself any points," pointed out Akane, sitting on Akari's desktop.

"What do you mean?" asked Akari.

"I mean, if you sit off in a corner like that, Ryoga won't even know you exist," said Akane. "I heard you think you're ready to tell him how you feel?"

"Y-yes," she said quietly.

"Well, before you do that, you should get some friends," said Akane. "Not that I think he'd reject you, but if he does, won't it be nice to have someone you know you can turn to? And besides," she added in a whisper, "Ryoga would be more flattered if a girl with a lot of friends likes him than another loner like him. He thinks he's a reject, from what I hear. So if someone popular likes him, maybe he'd be even more flattered."

"Does it work for you?" asked Akari.

Akane blinked. "I don't have a guy I like," she said.

"But even if you did," said Akari, glancing down, "you're really popular. I'm sure you'd have no problem finding a boyfriend."

"I'm not popular," said Akane. "I have friends, but I'm not popular. Come on, Akari, just come sit with us."

Akari hesitated a moment longer, but finally she nodded and picked up her lunch to follow Akane to her and her friends' cluster of desks. The girls immediately stood so they could rearrange themselves to accommodate Akari. Akari herself was rather startled by how readily these girls welcomed her among themselves. She was greeted by a chorus of cheerful hellos and given a seat. Akane sat beside her new friend and resumed eating her lunch. All around the classroom, the other students watched this new development in surprise. No one had been able to get Akari to even look away from Ryoga since middle school, but the new transfer student only needed two minutes to get her to break her streak and sit with other people. Akane Tendo was just full of surprises.

"So, Akari, tell us about yourself," said Ukyo. "What do you like to do?"

"Um…" said Akari shyly. She'd been watching Ryoga so long, she hadn't realized that she'd lost whatever social skills she used to possess. She didn't even know if her hobby would pass with these girls.

"Don't worry," said Akane. "Whatever it is, we won't laugh. We each have our own hobbies. My family runs a dojo, so I love martial arts."

"What kind?" asked Akari.

"All sorts…but mostly kenpo," she said.

"Shampoo Chinese Amazon girl," said Shampoo. "Know secret martial art no one in Japan know."

"I'm an okonomiyaki chef," said Ukyo. "I study fast-food martial arts."

"We're not martial artists," admitted Yuka, indicating herself and Sayuri, "but we like to gossip, if that's a hobby."

"_Gossip _is an understatement for you two," said Akane, and they all laughed.

"So, what about you?" asked Sayuri.

"I, um…my family raises sumo-wrestling pigs," admitted Akari quietly, blushing deeply. Even amongst these girls, who obviously were no more ordinary than she was, she felt like a freak admitting something so strange. "I love pigs as a result…"

"Wow!" said Yuka, looking sincerely impressed.

"Seriously?!" asked Sayuri. "I've never heard of that before. That sounds cool!"

Akari blinked. "R-really?" she asked. "I thought you would think it was weird."

"No way!" said Akane. "I've never heard of it before, either, how does that work?"

"Shampoo want know, too!" said Shampoo.

"Me too!" threw in Ukyo.

"Well, what we do is we raise huge pigs to wrestle," said Akari. "I own one myself. His name is Katsunishiki and he's the 14th yokozuna (a/n: that means _grand champion_ in case you don't know…come to think of it, is Akari left out of the anime, too…?) we've raised."

"Wow, that sounds like fun!" said Yuka.

"Oh, it is!" said Akari. "Raising fighting pigs is so much fun. But people always seem to find it so strange."

"Strange or not, it doesn't matter to us," said Akane. "These days, you can make anything into a martial art. I've battled martial ice skaters, martial tea-artists, martial eaters, martial gymnasts, and even martial gamblers."

"Yeah, martial pigs sounds fairly normal compared to things like that," said Yuka. Grinning, she added, "Especially to us martial illiterates."

Akari smiled. Maybe she wasn't as much of a freak as she had thought.

The bell rang suddenly, indicating the end of the lunch period, and they all felt kinda upset about it.

"You will sit with us from now on, right, Akari?" asked Ukyo as they began to clean up.

"You guys wouldn't mind…?" she asked shyly."

"Of course not," said Akane. "It'd be great!"

"Well…alright then," said Akari. "Thanks, you guys."

* * *

That evening, when Akane got home, she decided to give another couple-in-the-making a little push and called Ukyo's okonomiyaki shop. Luck seemed to be on her side, for the one who picked up was Konatsu. 

"Ukyo's Okonomiyaki, can I help you?" he asked.

"Konatsu?" she asked. "It's Akane."

"Oh, Miss Akane!" he exclaimed. "Hold on a moment, I'll get Miss Ukyo…"

"Hold up, I wanted to talk to you," said Akane.

"M-me?"

"Yes, you," she said with a smile. "Don't tell Ukyo about this call. Are you free to talk?"

"I…I suppose. The shop's closed right now, and Miss Ukyo's in the bath…"

"Great. There's something important I want to ask you," said Akane. "You're in love with Ukyo, right?"

"M-Miss Akane!" he exclaimed. "How…how did you…?"

"So you do," she stated matter-of-factly. "That's good."

"N-no it's not!" exclaimed Konatsu. "Miss Ukyo's been too kind to me as it is. I have no right to fall in love with her!"

"Konatsu, do you know that you're a guy?" Akane interrupted.

"…What does that matter?" he asked quietly.

"Just answer the question," she said. "Did you or did you not know that you are, in fact, a male?"

"…Yes," he admitted quietly. "I know that I'm a male. But that just makes me more unworthy of the great Miss Ukyo. I'm a cross-dressing freak."

"Have you ever actually tried dressing as a guy?" asked Akane.

"Well…no.," he said. "I…I have no guy clothes, to be honest."

Akane smiled. "Would you like some?"

"You have guy's clothes, Miss Akane?" he asked.

"Well…yes," she admitted. "But I don't think they're big enough for you. We don't have school tomorrow, so meet me at Asagiri's Department Store, around noon-ish. Alright?"

"Are you sure it's alright?" he asked.

"Of course," she said. "But don't tell Ukyo what we're doing. Just say you're going to meet a friend."

"Miss Akane, you're too kind," said Konatsu gratefully. "Thank you so much."

* * *

And so, the next day, we find Akane and Konatsu in the men's department of Asagiri's Department Store. 

"I personally think you'd look good in martial-art type clothing," said Akane, browsing through the clothes. "Since you're a ninja and all."

"I'm a kunoichi," said Konatsu, confused.

"No, Konatsu, you're a ninja," she said. "Female ninjas are kunoichis, but you're a guy. So you're a ninja."

"Oh…" he said. "But they don't sell martial artists' clothes here…do they?"

"Well, let's see…" she said, browsing the clothes. "Before we go with the martial artists' clothes, though, I think we should try out normal clothes first. Like, school uniforms or something." She picked out a button-up shirt and slacks and tossed them at him, which he deftly caught and looked at skeptically.

"Are you sure about this…?"

"Oh, just try it out," she said cheerfully, pushing him toward the dressing rooms. He went in shyly, and Akane stood outside the dressing area, whistling cheerfully. Clothes shopping and helping out Ukyo and Konatsu was just the type of distraction she needed from her endless chain of thinking about—

"No fucking way, Pop. I don't need jeans! I'm perfectly fine with my Chinese clothes!"

She froze. No way. That was _not_…but it was his voice for sure…she peeked around the corner of the dressing area and felt her heart almost stop as she spotted Ranma being dragged through the store by his father.

"Don't you think that the girls would rather see you in normal clothes?" asked Genma. "You really should try to blend in better, son."

"What about you?!" snapped Ranma. "You're wearing a _gi_ and _yukata_ sandals in a department store!"

"Older citizens such as myself can get away with such things," said Genma. "But you have a girlfriend. Wouldn't she rather see normal clothes?"

Akane felt a little dizzy at that comment. Girlfriend? Since when did he…did he give up on her? Had she driven him away? She couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken at this news, which she didn't understand. She was so upset that she turned back so she didn't have to listen anymore. Luckily for her, Konatsu came out to show her how he looked right at that moment.

"Wow, Konatsu, you look totally hot!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe you never got guy clothes before. You're going to have the girls drooling at your feet…including Ucchan!"

"D-d'you really think so?" he asked, blushing lightly and rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Sure!" she said. "Just one thing…" She moved around him and took his hair out of the high ponytail. "You should tie this lower…see how it looks. While I'm doing this," she added, "Wipe off that make-up. You look ridiculous like that."

He reached up and began rubbing his eye-shadow and lipstick off as Akane began fiddling with his hair. His hair was so long and thick…she began braiding it, for some reason. She hummed slightly to herself even as those strange pangs kept striking her heart.

_It's not as though you __**liked**__ him, Akane,_ she told herself. _Why should you be upset about it? He wasn't your boyfriend; you didn't want to date him. He's nothing but a playboy anyway…_

She tied off the pigtail, then suddenly realized what she had just done. She stared at the hairstyle in horror. No…she did not just do that…since when did she consider a pigtail a manly hairstyle?!

_Since Ranma…_whispered that little nagging voice in the back of her mind. She shook her head and quickly began to undo the braid.

"O-on second thought," she said, "a high ponytail suits a ninja. Sorry about that, Konatsu."

"It's quite alright," he said. "You're helping me so much, you're welcome to do what you wish…"

"Don't say it like that, Konatsu," she said. "You and Ucchan are my friends. I just want you both to be happy."

"…Akane?"

Akane froze. Even her hands, still in the process of undoing Konatsu's braid, stilled as the voice registered in her mind. She slowly turned to face him.

"…Ranma," she stated bluntly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. His eyes trailed to Konatsu, who turned at the sound of the voice. "Who's this?" he asked with a little more force in his voice, staring down this man.

"You don't recognize him?" asked Akane. Relieved that he didn't seem to notice that tell-tale pigtail.

"Should I?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "Is he your boyfriend or something?"

Akane stared at him, dumbfounded. "You must be joking," she said, though she thought—or did she hope? —that she had just detected a hint of jealousy and hurt in his voice. "Ranma, this is Konatsu. Ukyo's waiter?"

He stared at Konatsu, who bowed slightly. He raised a finger to point at him.

"Y-you're a guy?!" he asked incredulously. "I-I thought you were a girl!"

"Miss Akane is helping me," he said, retying his hair into a high ponytail himself. "She is teaching me how to be a true man so I can admit how I feel to the woman I love. I have always been a guy, by the way," he added. "I just…was raised as a woman. I didn't realize I was a guy until I came here to the city."

"So, you're not her boyfriend?" asked Ranma, and Akane was certain this time that she heard a note of relief in his voice.

"Of course not," he said. "Miss Akane is so very kind, but my heart belongs to another…even if she does not know it."

"What would you care anyway, Ranma?" Akane threw in, suddenly pissed. "You have a girlfriend already. So what if I had a boyfriend?"

He blinked down at her. "I do?" he asked. "Since when?"

"Don't lie to me, I heard you and your father earlier," she said, crossing her arms. "He said that you have a girlfriend! So why didn't you tell me? Why were you hitting on _me_ if you already had someone?!"

"M-Miss Akane, please do not attack Ranma here…" said Konatsu nervously. He had seen and heard of many instances when Akane had lost her temper…not a pretty sight to behold.

Ranma, for his part, just stared down at her. He felt a small spark of hope leap up within his chest. She was…jealous!

"Akane," he said slowly, "my dad was referring to you!"

She paused, her eyes widening a little. "Huh?"

"Pop thinks that we're going out," he said. "He thought that you're my girlfriend."

Akane suddenly felt very stupid. She should've seen this coming…but she didn't…dammit! She was screwed now…Ranma was going to have a field day with this.

And sure enough, he leaned in with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Why, Akane, I do believe you were jealous," he said, trying to peer into her eyes.

She blushed bright red and said firmly, "I was _not!_"

"Yes you were," he said. "Admit it."

"I was not!!!" she snapped.

"Were too."

"Was not!!!"

"Were too."

"Was not and that's final!!! Konatsu, change," she snapped. "We're buying those clothes and leaving…for a store where immature little boys _don't _shop."

Konatsu knew better than to argue and dashed for the changing stall. Akane, on her part, walked back to the clothing rack to pick out a few more clothes for Konatsu, all the while having to deal with Ranma's teasing. He was lucky she was in a store that she really liked, or she would've snapped so hard that all of them would've been kicked out for good. Finally, they paid for the clothing and left Ranma for another store.

* * *

That night when Akane got home, she dashed to her room and collapsed onto her bed. Konatsu was going to dress as a guy tomorrow and surprise Ukyo after school. But that wasn't really what was on how mind at the moment. Her mind was more on that blunder she made with Ranma today. 

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she muttered to herself. "How could I let myself get so worked up over something so stupid? I'm such a moron!!!"

_Why'd I get so worked up, though?_ she asked herself. She thought back to the moment she had overheard Ranma and his father. Hearing that Ranma might've already moved on from her had nearly broken her heart on the spot.

_Ranma…with another girl…_she thought. A few tears leaked out at the very thought. She jerked up into a kneeling position, shocked. No…no…it couldn't be…she touched her hands to her face and pulled it away, looking at the tears that had traveled down her cheeks. At the sight, she burst into free-flowing tears. She couldn't hide the truth from herself anymore. She threw herself face-first into her pillow and sobbed her heart out.

_Oh gods…_she thought between huge, choking sobs. _I'm in love with Ranma Saotome!!!_

* * *

(A/N) 

Yes, I'm going to leave you hanging. No flames please!!!


	8. Chapter 8

SCHOOL DAYS

A Ranma ½ fan fiction

By Mitsukai Ashi

Summary: Ranma Saotome is a teenaged martial artist attending his third and final year at Furinkan High School. Tall, strong and totally hot, all the girls are in love with him…and he milks it for all it's worth.

Enter Akane Tendo, the new transfer student. Ranma sets his sights on her, but for the first time in his life, he's rejected! Will he ever win over this stubborn girl?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½, Rumiko Takahashi does and all credits for the existence of Ranma shall go to her. I just write stories about her characters.

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

Caught

* * *

Akane was still in shock as she did her morning jog the next day. Ranma Saotome. She loved Ranma Saotome. How in the seven hells had _that_ happened? It just didn't make sense! He had hurt her friends, humiliated her, gone out with almost every girl in her class, and to top it all off, he was a selfish jerk! So how in the world had she fallen in love with him, of all people?!

She shook her head, thinking, _Now isn't the time, Akane! You have a job to do. You have to make sure that Konatsu pulls this off today! Worry about your own problems later. Ucchan's happiness depends on you!_

She nodded firmly to herself. She couldn't afford to worry over her love problems right now. She had a matchmaking job to do!

* * *

Ranma himself was sitting at home, mulling over the events from yesterday. There was no mistaking that Akane had been both hurt and jealous at the thought of his having a girlfriend. That was a good sign, right? That meant that she held some feelings for him!

He looked at the calendar, which hung across his room from his bed, where he was sitting. It was early December, and he still had only chased after Akane all year. He only had about five more months before graduation, which meant he only had five more months to find a fiancée. And yet he still could not, for the life of him, move on from attempting to get Akane! There was just something about her that drove him insane. He _had _to get her. He couldn't explain why, but he had to. Time, however, was against him.

"Argh! What should I do?!?!" he muttered aloud, curling into a small ball and scratching his head in frustration.

"About what? Getting to school? Because you're going to be late if you don't leave soon."

He jumped and looked up to find his mother watching him from his doorway, a look of concern lining her face.

"Uh…it's nothing, Mom," he said. "Sorry I bothered you."

"Ranma, is this about Akane?" asked Nodoka, crossing the room and sitting gently on the end of Ranma's bed.

"N-no, of course not," he lied. "I just…"

"Ranma, why don't you just tell Akane how you feel?" asked Nodoka. "She seems to really care about you."

"She's my friend, Mom," he said, looking away. "I'm nothing more than that to her. But I can't move on. I've got less than five months to find a girl to marry, yet I've been stuck on the same one for about seven months now. But I can't stop chasing her. I don't know why, but I can't."

She smiled softly and leaned in a little closer.

"Ranma, dear," she said. "I think you're in love."

He stared at his mother as though he wanted to question her sanity.

"Mom, that's impossible," he said finally. "I can't be in love with her."

"Then why does this bother you so much?" she asked. "Why is it so hard for you to move on?"

"Because of my pride!" he said suddenly, jumping off the bed in an expression of discovery. "I'm too proud to stop when I haven't gotten her yet! That's it! It hasn't got anything to do with love or anything at all! Thanks, Mom!"

He dashed out of the room, as he _was _running late for school, but Nodoka sighed in exasperation. Leave it to her son to think out something like that…

* * *

"So I figure it must just be my pride getting in the way," Ranma reasoned to Ryoga as they walked into the classroom.

"You seem awfully certain of that," said Ryoga.

"Well, that's the only reasonable explanation," said Ranma. "I don't think I love her. So the only explanation would be that I'm too proud to let it go."

Ryoga looked at him skeptically. "Think about it, Ranma," he said. "If it really is just your pride, that means that you could ask out any other girl, no qualms held."

"Right."

"But could you honestly do that?" Ryoga continued. "Could you bring yourself to hit on another girl? Especially since you told me she seemed upset about the very thought yesterday."

"Of course," said Ranma, though his certainty was less than firm. Could he do that? Never mind the fact that Akane might clobber him for it, but could he hit on other girl without his conscious getting in the way?

"Are you sure?" asked Ryoga again, pretty certain of what his best friend was thinking of.

"Do I have to prove it to you?" asked Ranma. "Then I will!"

Ryoga recognized that look in Ranma's eyes, though it was rare to see such a look in Ranma; uncertainty. He wasn't sure if he could do it. But he was going to try, Ryoga knew, and he had a bad feeling of how this was going to end up…

* * *

Sure enough, when lunch rolled around, Ranma started talking to another girl. Akane, who had been about to admit to her friends what she had realized the previous night, literally dropped her chopsticks at the sight; Ranma, talking smoothly to some other girl, who was blushing and giggling like an idiot. Everyone else who was involved in this huge, tangled web looked on with amazement. The guys, who watched Ranma in complete and utter disbelief, were actually more worried about Akane than Ranma at this point. He was digging his own grave, but this was just plain cruel.

"Akane…" Ukyo began comfortingly, but without a word, Akane pushed her seat back and walked out of the classroom. Her friends followed, and at the sight of five girls chasing after their friend, the rest of the class looked around to see the problem. Ranma watched the whole thing unfold, a huge knot of guilt welling up in his stomach. Maybe he had been wrong after all.

None of the girls appeared for the rest of the day. Obviously Akane was so upset that she had ditched, and her friends, too worried about their friend to car about school, had done the same to try and help her. Ranma couldn't focus, either; the six empty desks around the class kept jumping out at him, especially the vacant one beside him. He had come to know Akane rather well just from watching her during class. She was a great student, hardly ever diverting her attention from the teacher. The only times she seemed bored was during morning announcements and such; she would doodle little cartoons on the corner of her notebook. Sometimes, instead of joining her friends in conversations between classes, she'd pull out a book or manga and just read. Usually right now, she'd be writing notes, maybe occasionally helping him out since it was math hour, which he sucked at. But no, for the first time since the beginning of the school year, that desk was empty, and it left him feeling ashamed and lonely. He couldn't believe himself. He had just seen yesterday what happened when she thought of Ranma with another girl, so what did he do? Turn her accusations into a reality. For the first time, even though he had done so many, many times, he had to admit that he had fucked up royally. She probably wouldn't ever talk to him again. And worst of all, this was the last day before winter break, so he wouldn't even be able to talk to her until after New Year's. Damn it!!!

* * *

Meanwhile, Akane's friends had actually lost her and were trying to find her. They couldn't figure out just how she had vanished so quickly, but they were searching all over Nerima for her. They never actually managed to find her and had to give up when night began to fall.

Akane, however, had spent the entire time crying on her roof, without anyone around, until her eyes were too dry to cry any more. When she was done, night really had fallen, and she got up slowly. She never had checked up on Konatsu…she may as well go to Ucchan's. She was probably worried…

* * *

Akane walked into Ucchan's half an hour later to check up on Konatsu. She nearly fainted, however, when she saw Konatsu, yes, dressed as a guy, but still kneeling and bowing to the floor as though he was a girl.

"Konatsu, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" hissed Akane, momentarily forgetting her distress.

"You were right, Miss Akane!" he exclaimed. "Miss Ukyo was impressed by my dressing as a male!"

"_But you're still acting like a waitress!!!_" she said. "What guy bows and welcomes his customers like a fricking girl?!?!"

"But…you said all I had to do was dress like a guy," said Konatsu. "I didn't know I'd have to act differently, too."

Akane sank to her knees in exasperation. He watched her curiously as she buried her face in her hands.

"Konatsu…boys don't bow, first of all," she said. "You can stand and just say welcome whenever a customer enters. You don't have to launch yourself at their feet. Guys don't do that!"

"Akane! You're okay!!!" squealed Ukyo, and Akane stood hastily as Ukyo ran up to hug her. Ukyo motioned to Konatsu, who still knelt at their feet, and grinned, "Can you believe this, Akane? He's realized he's a guy! And he's even wearing guy's clothes! It's amazing!"

Akane grinned. "Sure is," she said through gritted teeth. "And he makes a pretty cute guy, too, don't you think?" she added nudgingly.

Ukyo shrugged. "I guess," she said. Akane's jaw nearly dropped, but she held it in. Konatsu held his head down, so that Ukyo wouldn't see the hurt all over his face.

_Poor guy…_thought Akane.

"Anyway," continued Ukyo, suddenly stern, "Akane, you stay right here. I'm calling Shampoo when I'm done closing up, and then we're going to have a little talk." She stormed away, leaving Akane and Konatsu alone again.

"Miss Akane, she still doesn't like me," said Konatsu. "It didn't work…maybe I should go back to wearing my kimono…"

"No!" snapped Akane, forcing the young ninja to his feet. "You will learn to be a man, Konatsu, even if I have to teach you myself!"

"But Miss Akane, you are a girl," said Konatsu. "You cannot teach me how to behave like a guy."

"Maybe I can't," she said. "But I think I know a few people who can. I'll give them a call later. Meanwhile, you just work…like a _man!_ That means no bowing, no offering to kill yourself in order to service the customers, and no being a wimp!"

* * *

Ukyo finally closed up shop just as Shampoo walked into the restaurant about fifteen minutes later. Ukyo led them into the house portion of the building and they took to Ukyo's room. There, they both turned to look at Akane, reprimanding looks on their faces.

"Well, Akane?!" Ukyo demanded. "Are you going to tell us why you weren't anywhere when we were looking for you earlier? You had us worried to death!"

"Shampoo no forgive Akane for making worry," added Shampoo rather angrily.

"I'm sorry, guys," she whispered. "I just…I had to be alone."

"We know that what Ranma did upset you, Akane," said Ukyo. "But that's no reason to scare us. We were afraid you had gone and done something rash…" Her voice trembled, and suddenly Akane found both Shampoo's and Ukyo's arms thrown around her. Akane broke down, and the three of them sat there for a while, just sobbing out of grief and relief.

"I know I should've told u guys where I was," said Akane through her choked sobs. "But I…I needed to be alone after what happened, you know? I just couldn't handle having anyone else around…"

"You still could've let us know you were alright, Akane," sobbed Ukyo. "Don't ever do that to us again." She and Shampoo finally let go of her, both still wiping their eyes.

"Does Akane believe now?" asked Shampoo. "You in love with Ranma, I mean?"

Akane nodded, also wiping the last of her tears from her eyes. "I know I do," she said quietly. "I realized that last night. I was going to tell you guys during lunch today but when I saw Ranma with that other girl, I thought…well, you can guess what I thought."

They both nodded sympathetically.

"So now…now I don't know what to do," said Akane quietly. "Obviously Ranma doesn't care about me as much as I first thought."

"It could've just been a jealousy tactic," said Ukyo.

"Somehow I doubt that," said Akane. "I mean, if Ranma was trying to make me jealous, he would've tried it sooner. This was an honest attempt to break away from me. Maybe I was showing too much attachment? Maybe being affectionate is how to drive him away?"

"Akane, you were rejecting his advances the entire time," said Ukyo. "How could he think you were being too affectionate?"

Akane's eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God, you're right," she said. "I was rejecting him. I gave him the wrong idea. That's why he moved on. I drove him away."

The other two girls sighed. At this moment in time, anything they said was going to be worthless in getting her to stop being depressed. Shampoo reached out to Akane.

"Akane…"

_CRAAAAAAASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

The three of them jumped in shock as the crash came from downstairs, in the restaurant. They half-stood, but they heard Konatsu's voice pleasantly welcoming someone, so they assumed it was someone they knew. Ordinarily, they would expect Shampoo, but that seemed rather impossible, as she was sitting with them. After a moment, there was a polite knocking at Ukyo's bedroom door.

"Miss Ukyo?" called out Konatsu. "Mr. Saotome is here. He wishes to speak with you."

"What about?" asked Ukyo. "I'm busy."

"Don't give me that, Ukyo," yelled Ranma's voice. "Where the hell is Akane? No one's seen her, not even her own family. Where the fuck is she?"

"Why the hell do you want to know after what you did to her today?!" snapped Ukyo. "Gloat about your new girlfriend or something?"

"I have to talk to her!" he retorted. "That girl is not my girlfriend. I have to explain it to her!"

Ukyo glanced back at Akane, who shook her head. Ukyo replied, "I don't know where she is, Ranma, so leave!"

"You do know where she is, Ukyo, now where is she?!" he yelled. "You or Shampoo would be the first ones to know, and I happen to know that Shampoo is here. Now tell me where she is?!"

"Why Ranma want know?!" snapped Shampoo. "You already hurt Akane once. Why we let you do again?!"

There was a moment of silence, then he said, "Because I didn't mean to hurt her. I have to apologize to her. So tell me where she is!"

Akane stood silently and crossed the room, and the other two watched as she turned the knob and slowly opened the door. Ranma's expression, which had been defiant and determined, suddenly melted into surprise and worry.

"A…Akane?"

"An apology, huh?" she said softly. "I don't see what for…after all, it's not like we're a couple, right?"

"Akane…"

"Be quiet, Ranma," she snapped. "I don't want to hear it. If you want to chase after other girls, I don't care. It'll be a relief, really. Now I won't have to deal with people saying that we're going out."

She tried to pass Ranma, but he grabbed her arm. She paused.

"Let me go." It wasn't a request, it was a command.

"No," he said. "Look at me, Akane."

"No. Leave me alone," she said.

"Not until you look at me," he said.

"Not gonna happen. Let me go!"

He sighed, then grabbed her other arm and turned her around. She was too surprised the hide it from him in time, and he caught a glimpse of her tear-lined eyes. His heart almost stopped when he saw them, felt some fly from her eyes onto his face.

"You're…crying," he stated dumbly.

"I am not," she said, turning her face away. "Let me go, Ranma."

"I made you cry," he said. "I hurt you."

She wrenched her wrists from his grip with great force and dashed for the stairs. A split second later, he lunged after her. He saw her sprint out the front door and ran after her, grabbing her again as she tried to run down the street.

"I told you to leave me alone!" she snapped.

"You really think I'm going to leave you when you're crying?" he asked. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, but Akane was crying, and he couldn't leave her.

"Yes, because I said to!" she said. "We barely know each other, Ranma. So why the hell do you fucking care?!"

He opened his mouth to reply, but found no words. She was right, they barely knew each other. He shouldn't care as much as he did, but he did. He didn't know why, but he did.

"I just do, Akane," he said. "So why won't you let me?"

"Because it's not like you," she said. "Leave me alone!"

"I will not, Akane!" he finally snapped. "I will not leave you alone!"

she turned and looked at him. Tears were flowing freely down her face, and then suddenly, in contrast to what she had been saying, she threw herself into his chest and began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why, Ranma?!" she sobbed.

He stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her and held her stiffly.

"Why what?" he asked, rather nervously.

"I don't know, I don't know anymore!" she cried. "You are the biggest bastard I have ever met. You did this to me, Ranma! You messed up my life!"

He looked down at her curiously. "I what?"

"You fucked me up, Ranma! You confused me! You shattered my emotional barrier, you destroyed my self-confidence! I can't function with you in my life!"

He was taken aback at how openly she admitted these things, but he said nothing and simply let her cry while occasionally rubbing her back to calm her down a little. After a while, the floodgate began to close, and she settled down a little. When she was no longer hiccupping for air, he loosened his grip and pulled her back slightly to look down at her.

"This can't be just about the thing in class earlier, Akane," he said. "What did I do to you?"

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. Let me go. I want to go home."

"I'll walk you," he said.

"No," she said. "I want to be alone right now. I don't need you with me."

"I don't care," he said. "I'm coming with you."

She looked up at him and knew it was no good arguing with him. Besides, it was pretty dangerous for a girl to walk the streets at night alone, even in the peaceful district of Nerima. So she slipped from his arms and began walking in the direction of her home, while Ranma struck up a steady pace behind her. She refused to look back at him. She felt so ashamed for crying so openly, and to Ranma, of all people. She had just practically admitted to him that she loved him. She couldn't look him in the eye after this. There was no way.

"Akane?"

She didn't answer, or look back, or respond in any way, but she knew that he knew that she could hear him.

"I just want to apologize," he said.

"What for? This whole day has been my fault," she said. "So just shut up and leave me alone."

"No, it was mine," he said. "I wanted to mess with you, and I hurt you. So I'm sorry."

She just shook her head and kept going. He smiled softly and sped up until he was right behind her. He really couldn't figure out what it was that made Akane so special to him, but he couldn't deny anymore that she did mean something to him. He just wished he could've accepted this before he had gone and done something as stupid as he did.

He looked down. He was itching to reach down and hold her hand, but he just didn't have the courage to do so. He was always afraid to face truths about himself. He really needed to learn to stop doing that…

He steeled his courage. He really was no good with words, but when it taking action, he was a little better. So he reached out and gently took her hand in his. She paused, but he kept walking, despite the furious blush spreading over his face. After a moment, the tension in her hand loosened a little bit, and she even held his hand back, albeit not very tightly. They walked beside each other, but neither could look at the other. Eventually, they reached her house. She immediately released his hand and headed inside.

"Akane?" he called out suddenly.

She paused and looked back at him. He still stood outside, at the gate. She approached him.

"What?"

He looked as though he was struggling with himself for a moment, but then suddenly she found herself swept up in his arms once more, and to her shock, with Ranma's lips settled over hers. The kiss, in reality, lasted only a few seconds, but to Akane, it felt like an eternity…an eternity of bliss. Yet she couldn't react, for there was too much surprise in too short a time to do anything. When he pulled away and let her go, she was still too surprised to do anything but stand there and stare at him. He was blushing horribly, and he turned and began walking away before he was slammed into the ground.

"Ranma?"

He paused and looked back at her. She seemed to have regained some control over herself, and to his surprise, she didn't look angry, just a little…confused.

"W-why'd you do that?" she asked softly.

He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

"I owed you," he said simply. Then he turned and kept walking. Behind him, Akane actually smiled and touched her fingers to her lips, savoring the lingering feel of his warm lips. When he vanished from her sight, she, too, left to go home.

* * *

(A/N):

I know, it took me forever to get this chapter up. I really just haven't had the time…but tonight, I decided to just sit down and type up the next chapter. This means I'll be working on my homework all day tomorrow, but oh well. It's going to take me a while to get back into the feel of this story, so please forgive me if the quality is a little off.

Another thing…I really haven't kept track of the time in this story, and for those of you who may be, I'm sorry that the story has actually expanded over the period of like, 7 months. I just have to speed up Ranma's time…make the story more suspenseful. Heh. So yes, while it may seem strange that we're suddenly in early December, there is a good reason for it. Sorry!

No flames, please!!! (I'm really worried about how people will take this chapter…so I'm even more scared of flamey reviews.)


End file.
